Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday confirmed that Russia had successfully tested the 9M730 Burevestnik, a nuclear-capable and nuclear-powered cruise missile that he described as a “unique weapon which nobody else in the world has.” The announcement was made during a meeting with General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces, and was accompanied by video footage released by the Kremlin.
The test reportedly took place on 21 October. According to General Gerasimov, the missile travelled 14,000 kilometres and remained airborne for about 15 hours. “That’s not the limit,” he said, as quoted by the Associated Press. Putin noted that “crucial testing” had now been concluded and directed Gerasimov to prepare the infrastructure required for deployment.
The announcement was also a clear signal to the West that Moscow remains undeterred by sanctions and international pressure over the war in Ukraine. It coincided with a major nuclear forces drill overseen by Putin, underlining Russia’s readiness and military assertiveness.
What is the Burevestnik missile?
The Burevestnik, which translates to “storm petrel,” is a ground-launched, low-flying cruise missile powered by a miniature nuclear reactor and capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. NATO refers to it as the SSC-X-9 Skyfall.
Putin first revealed the missile in March 2018, calling it a revolutionary addition to Russia’s strategic arsenal. Unlike conventional cruise missiles that rely on limited fuel supplies, the Burevestnik’s nuclear propulsion allows it to travel far greater distances and remain in flight for much longer durations.
According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), a US-based security organisation, the missile could “carry a nuclear warhead (or warheads), circle the globe at low altitude, avoid missile defences, and dodge terrain; and drop the warhead(s) at a difficult-to-predict location (or locations).”
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) cited Russian military sources in 2021 that estimated the missile’s theoretical range at up to 20,000 kilometres. It reportedly cruises at altitudes between 50 and 100 metres, making it much harder to detect by radar systems.
How does it work?
According to Reuters, the missile uses a small solid-fuel booster to launch, after which air is forced into the engine chamber containing the nuclear reactor. The reactor superheats the air, possibly rendering it radioactive, before expelling it through the exhaust to generate thrust.
This nuclear propulsion system theoretically gives the missile a virtually unlimited range. By flying at very low altitudes and along unpredictable routes, it could evade radar-based air defence systems, making interception extremely difficult.
General Gerasimov told Putin that the Burevestnik had demonstrated “high capabilities to bypass missile and air defence systems,” adding that its vertical and horizontal manoeuvring were found to be within specification, according to Tass news agency.
Why Russia built it
The development of the Burevestnik stems from Moscow’s long-standing opposition to the United States’ missile defence programmes. After Washington withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty in 2001 and expanded NATO’s presence in Eastern Europe, Russia viewed these actions as a direct challenge to its nuclear deterrent.
Putin has repeatedly presented the Burevestnik as a response to what he calls Western efforts to undermine Russia’s strategic balance. During the Sunday meeting, he said the missile represents “an entirely new category of strategic weaponry.”
In 2019, Russian military expert Alexei Leonkov wrote that the Burevestnik’s role would be to destroy what remains of an enemy’s infrastructure after an initial wave of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) attacks. He said the missile would “trample the aggressor countries into the Stone Age,” targeting surviving command posts, factories, power plants, and military bases.
Development challenges and deadly accidents
The path to this successful test has been marked by numerous failures and deadly accidents. Western intelligence agencies and analysts have reported several unsuccessful launches since 2016.
One of the most serious incidents occurred in 2019, when a test near the White Sea resulted in an explosion that killed at least five Russian nuclear specialists and released radiation in the surrounding area. US intelligence officials believed the incident was linked to the Burevestnik programme.
Although the Kremlin did not initially confirm this, Putin later awarded top state honours to the victims’ widows, calling the weapon under development “without equal in the world.”
According to an arms control campaign group cited by the BBC, only two of at least 13 known Burevestnik tests since 2016 were partially successful. Western experts have also pointed out that the missile’s subsonic speed could make it more detectable, especially during prolonged flight times, and that its nuclear engine could pose radiation risks during operation.
Possible deployment sites
While the Burevestnik has not yet been officially deployed, preparations are reportedly underway. In 2024, two US researchers identified what they believed to be its probable deployment site — Vologda-20 (also known as Chebsara), located about 475 kilometres north of Moscow.
Analyst Decker Eveleth told Reuters that satellite imagery from August 2024 showed nine horizontal launch pads under construction at the facility, which is already known to store nuclear warheads. This supports the view that Russia is preparing the site for Burevestnik operations.
Why the timing matters
The test of the Burevestnik occurred during a particularly tense period in Russia’s confrontation with the West. The announcement came days after the United States lifted restrictions on Ukraine’s use of some long-range Western-supplied missiles and imposed new sanctions on Russian energy companies.
Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, reportedly shared details of the test during a visit to Washington, reinforcing the Kremlin’s message that Russia’s military capabilities remain unmatched despite sanctions and diplomatic isolation.
The test coincided with a strategic nuclear forces drill overseen by Putin himself. The exercise included simulated command launches of Yars and Sineva intercontinental ballistic missiles and Kh-102 air-launched cruise missiles.
Putin, dressed in camouflage fatigues at a wartime operations post, declared that “the so-called modernity of our nuclear deterrent forces is at the highest level.” He added that Russia’s readiness “surpasses that of any other nuclear power.”
What it means for the global balance
According to the Federation of American Scientists, Russia possesses about 5,459 nuclear warheads, while the United States holds around 5,177. Together, they control nearly 87 percent of the world’s nuclear arsenal.
The Burevestnik, if fully operational, would give Russia a new kind of intercontinental weapon capable of bypassing existing missile defence systems. In 2021, the US Air Force’s National Air and Space Intelligence Center stated that “a nuclear-powered cruise missile would give Russia a unique weapon with intercontinental range capability.”
By confirming the test now, Putin has sent a message to both domestic and foreign audiences that Russia’s nuclear deterrent is evolving, and that the Kremlin will continue to expand its strategic capabilities despite global pressure.
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