Russia has tested a new nuclear-capable missile, Putin and top general say
MOSCOW, Russia — Russia has successfully tested a new nuclear-powered cruise missile that is capable of evading existing defenses, bringing it one step closer to being deployed in the country’s military, President Vladimir Putin announced on Sunday.
Putin, dressed in camouflage fatigues, was seen in a video released by the Kremlin meeting with senior Russian military officials. The footage showed Gen. Valery Gerasimov, Russia’s chief of general staff, informing Putin that the Burevestnik missile traveled 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) during a recent test on Tuesday.
Gerasimov revealed that the Burevestnik, also known as the Storm Petrel in Russian, remained airborne for 15 hours, stating that there is still room for improvement.
Putin instructed Gerasimov to work on the missile’s final tests and prepare the infrastructure for its deployment in the armed forces. He emphasized that the missile’s almost unlimited range and unpredictable flight path make it impervious to current and future missile defense systems.
Following the missile test, Putin oversaw drills of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces, which included practice missile launches. The exercises involved all components of Russia’s nuclear triad and aimed to test the readiness of the military command structures.
The Kremlin described the drills as a successful demonstration of Russia’s nuclear capabilities in various scenarios.
