Russia Successfully Tests New Generation of Nuclear-Powered Cruise Missile, Putin Announces
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday that Russia has successfully conducted a test of a new generation of nuclear-powered cruise missile. The missile, known as Burevestnik, is a global-range cruise missile with a nuclear installation and a nuclear propulsion system. Putin made the announcement at the Valdai Forum in Sochi, where he also mentioned other initiatives to develop intercontinental and hypersonic missiles.
The Burevestnik program was first announced by Putin in March 2018 as part of Russia’s effort to develop a new generation of advanced missiles. According to Putin, the Burevestnik is a low-flying stealth missile with an almost unlimited range and the ability to bypass interception boundaries. The goal of the program is to ensure a strategic balance in the world for decades to come.
However, Western analysts have said that the program has faced difficulties, with a number of failed tests reported. The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), an open-source analytical group, stated in 2019 that the Burevestnik had been tested 13 times, with only two partial successes. Russian military expert Alexei Leonkov described the Burevestnik as a weapon of retaliation, which Russia would use after intercontinental ballistic missiles to incapacitate military and civilian infrastructure.
In addition to the announcement about the Burevestnik, Putin also mentioned the possibility of revoking Russia’s ratification of a treaty banning nuclear tests. He claimed that the United States had signed but not ratified the treaty, and that Russia should “mirror the manner of the United States” and revoke its own ratification. Putin stated that underground nuclear testing, which is banned by the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, could be resumed if the US moves first.
A CNN report in September revealed that Russia, the US, and China have all made recent expansions to their nuclear test sites. While there is no evidence to suggest that these countries are preparing for an imminent nuclear test, the expansions indicate their continued interest in maintaining and modernizing their nuclear arsenals.
Meanwhile, Putin, who has been engaged in a conflict with Ukraine for nearly 20 months, claimed that the war is not a territorial conflict but rather about “principles.” He denied Russia’s intention to establish a regional geopolitical balance in Ukraine and argued that conflicts arise when the principles of a balanced and multipolar world order are not respected. Putin accused Western elites of needing an enemy to justify military action and expansion and emphasized Russia’s commitment to promoting a multipolar world order.
The war in Ukraine has caused tens of thousands of casualties and significant destruction, with Russia attempting to annex Ukrainian territories in violation of international law. However, Ukraine has consistently rejected these attempts and maintained its stance against ceding any territory to Russia.
Overall, Putin’s announcement about the successful test of the Burevestnik missile and his comments on revoking the treaty banning nuclear tests and the war in Ukraine highlight Russia’s continued focus on modernizing its military capabilities and promoting its vision of a multipolar world order.