Russia tests new ‘nuclear-powered’ missile, issues warning

Russia has successfully developed a new “nuclear-powered cruise missile,” which reportedly has a global range. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the missile has nuclear propulsion, increasing its capability to remain airborne for longer. The missile has been under development since 2018.

Putin also warned that Moscow could reverse its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban. The US has also signed the document but not ratified it.

“We conducted the last successful test of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered global-range cruise missile,” he said without elaborating. His statement was the first announcement of a successful test of the Burevestnik, which translates as “Storm Petrel.”

Little is known about the Burevestnik, which was code-named Skyfall by NATO, and many Western experts have been skeptical about it, noting that a nuclear engine could be highly unreliable.

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The Burevestnik reportedly suffered an explosion in August 2019 during tests at a Russian navy range on the White Sea, killing five nuclear engineers and two servicemen and resulting in a brief spike in radioactivity that fueled fears in a nearby city.

(With AP inputs)