Moscow Reports Accomplished Evaluation of Nuclear-Powered Storm Petrel Cruise Missile

Russia has tested the nuclear-powered Burevestnik strategic weapon, as stated by the nation's leading commander.

"We have launched a multi-hour flight of a nuclear-powered missile and it traversed a vast distance, which is not the limit," Senior Military Leader the general informed the head of state in a public appearance.

The low-altitude advanced armament, originally disclosed in 2018, has been hailed as having a possible global reach and the capacity to bypass missile defences.

Western experts have in the past questioned over the projectile's tactical importance and Moscow's assertions of having successfully tested it.

The head of state declared that a "last accomplished trial" of the armament had been carried out in the previous year, but the statement could not be independently verified. Of a minimum of thirteen documented trials, only two had partial success since the mid-2010s, according to an non-proliferation organization.

The military leader reported the projectile was in the atmosphere for a significant duration during the evaluation on October 21.

He explained the missile's vertical and horizontal manoeuvring were evaluated and were determined to be meeting requirements, as per a domestic media outlet.

"Consequently, it exhibited superior performance to bypass anti-missile and aerial protection," the outlet quoted the official as saying.

The projectile's application has been the subject of heated controversy in military and defence circles since it was originally disclosed in 2018.

A previous study by a foreign defence research body determined: "An atomic-propelled strategic weapon would offer Moscow a distinctive armament with worldwide reach potential."

Yet, as an international strategic institute observed the identical period, Russia faces significant challenges in achieving operational status.

"Its induction into the country's stockpile likely depends not only on surmounting the significant development hurdle of securing the reliable performance of the atomic power system," specialists noted.

"There have been multiple unsuccessful trials, and an accident leading to multiple fatalities."

A military journal quoted in the study states the projectile has a operational radius of between 10,000 and 20,000km, enabling "the weapon to be based anywhere in Russia and still be able to strike objectives in the continental US."

The identical publication also explains the projectile can operate as low as 164 to 328 feet above the surface, rendering it challenging for air defences to intercept.

The weapon, designated an operational name by a Western alliance, is considered powered by a nuclear reactor, which is designed to commence operation after initial propulsion units have launched it into the sky.

An examination by a media outlet the previous year identified a facility 295 miles from the city as the likely launch site of the missile.

Utilizing space-based photos from August 2024, an expert informed the agency he had detected nine horizontal launch pads under construction at the facility.

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