Russia Says It Successfully Tests Nuclear-Powered “Burevestnik” Missile With 14,000-Kilometer Flight

Key Facts

Published: October 26, 2025 Location: Moscow Source: Moscow Times, Russian Government Press Statements, AP

• Russia says it successfully tested the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile, flying 14,000 km in 15 hours.
• Putin called the missile “unique,” claiming it can strike anywhere with “guaranteed precision.”
• The test follows years of development and a deadly 2019 accident linked to the missile.
• The Kremlin launched major nuclear drills as tensions with the U.S. and Ukraine escalate.

by Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Staff

MOSCOW (Worthy News) – Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Sunday that Russia has successfully conducted a test of its nuclear-powered intercontinental cruise missile, the Burevestnik, in what he described as a milestone for the nation’s strategic arsenal.

According to Gen. Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff, the test was carried out last Tuesday and saw the missile fly 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) over the course of 15 hours. Putin hailed the weapon as “unique,” saying it could strike targets at “any distance” with “guaranteed precision.”

“It is truly a unique weapon — one that no other country in the world possesses,” Putin said during a visit to one of Russia’s military command centers. He ordered the preparation of infrastructure to deploy the missile into active service.

A Weapon “Without Equal”

The Kremlin released footage showing Putin, dressed in camouflage fatigues, being briefed by Gerasimov. The general described the missile’s capabilities as far exceeding previous tests, adding that “this is not the limit.”

The Burevestnik, meaning “storm petrel” in Russian and designated by NATO as SSC-X-9 Skyfall, has been in development for years as part of Moscow’s effort to develop next-generation nuclear systems designed to evade U.S. missile defenses.

When Putin first unveiled the project in 2018, he claimed it would have an “unlimited range” and be capable of circling the globe undetected. Western analysts, however, have expressed skepticism, citing the technical and environmental hazards of a nuclear-powered propulsion system.

During the Cold War, both the U.S. and the Soviet Union abandoned similar programs due to the risk of radiation contamination and engine instability.

The missile previously suffered a catastrophic test failure in 2019, when an explosion during recovery operations at a naval range in the Arctic killed five nuclear engineers and two soldiers. The blast triggered a brief spike in radiation levels in a nearby city, drawing international concern.

Strategic Messaging Amid Ukraine War

The test’s timing comes amid heightened nuclear signaling from Moscow as Russian forces continue to grind through Ukrainian defenses in the east.

Putin’s statement follows U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s decision last week to impose sanctions on Russia’s largest oil firms, Rosneft and Lukoil, after saying his talks with Putin “don’t go anywhere” regarding ending the Ukraine war.

Despite Trump’s attempts to mediate, peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv remain stalled. Putin reiterated Sunday that Russia’s operations will continue based on “military rationality,” not political deadlines.

“We are not going to align anything with any dates or events,” Putin said. “We will base our actions on military rationality.”

Part of Russia’s Nuclear Triad Exercises

Earlier in the week, Putin oversaw drills of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces, involving all three legs of the country’s nuclear triad — land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched missiles, and Tu-95 strategic bombers firing long-range cruise missiles.

The Kremlin said the exercises tested the readiness of command systems and verified Moscow’s nuclear deterrent capabilities.

Putin’s aide Kirill Dmitriev, who was in the U.S. as the test video surfaced, said Russian officials informed American counterparts about the “successful testing” of what he called “an absolutely new class of weapon.”

Western Caution

While Moscow celebrated the test as a breakthrough, Western experts remain doubtful. “A nuclear-powered cruise missile poses immense safety challenges,” said one analyst quoted by defense outlets. “The technology might work — but the environmental cost could be catastrophic.”

Still, Putin’s announcement signals that the Kremlin is moving closer to operational deployment of the Burevestnik — a system designed to bypass every existing missile shield and extend the reach of Russia’s nuclear deterrent across the globe.

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