Russia Tests Nuclear-Powered Cruise Missile With Unlimited Range Claim: What Is Burevestnik?

Last Updated:October 27, 2025, 09:04 IST

The Burevestnik, which translates to “storm petrel,” is a ground-launched, low-flying cruise missile that is nuclear-powered and capable of carrying a nuclear warhead

Russian President Vladimir Putin (AP Photo)

On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that Russia had successfully tested the 9M730 Burevestnik, a nuclear-capable and nuclear-powered cruise missile. The announcement was made during a meeting with General Valery Gerasimov, chief of the general staff of Russia’s armed forces, and was accompanied by video footage released by the Kremlin.

The test reportedly took place on 21 October. According to General Gerasimov, the missile travelled 14,000 kilometres and was in the air for about 15 hours. He added, “That’s not the limit," according to the Associated Press. Putin described the missile as “a unique weapon which nobody else in the world has," as quoted in a statement released by the Kremlin.

Putin also noted that earlier, some Russian specialists had said the missile would never be technologically possible. However, he stated that “crucial testing" had now been concluded. He directed Gerasimov to begin working on final tests and to start preparing the infrastructure necessary for deployment.

Putin had previously claimed that a “final successful test" of the missile had taken place in 2023, but that assertion could not be independently verified, according to BBC.

What Is The Burevestnik Missile And How Is It Different?

The Burevestnik, which translates to “storm petrel," is a ground-launched, low-flying cruise missile that is nuclear-powered and capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. NATO refers to it as the SSC-X-9 Skyfall. According to Reuters, Putin first spoke about the missile publicly in March 2018.

The missile’s nuclear propulsion system is designed to allow it to travel much longer distances and stay airborne for much longer durations than conventional cruise missiles, which are limited by the amount of fuel they can carry.

The Nuclear Threat Initiative, a US-based non-profit security organisation, noted in a 2019 report that the Burevestnik could potentially remain airborne for days. The report stated, “In operation, the Burevestnik would carry a nuclear warhead (or warheads), circle the globe at low altitude, avoid missile defences, and dodge terrain; and drop the warhead(s) at a difficult-to-predict location (or locations)."

According to Russia’s Tass news agency, General Gerasimov said the missile’s vertical and horizontal manoeuvring had been tested and found to be within specification. He reportedly added, “Therefore, it demonstrated high capabilities to bypass missile and air defence systems."

How Far Can It Travel?

The International Institute for Strategic Studies, citing a Russian military journal in 2021, stated that the missile could have a notional range of up to 20,000 kilometres. The same journal said that the missile’s expected cruising altitude is between 50 and 100 metres, significantly lower than that of conventional cruise missiles. This low altitude would make it harder to detect with traditional radar-based air-defence systems.

According to Reuters, the missile is believed to operate by using a small solid-fuel booster to get airborne. This booster reportedly pushes air into the engine chamber, which contains a miniature nuclear reactor. The reactor superheats the air, potentially making it radioactive, and expels it out of the exhaust to provide forward propulsion.

What Do Russian Officials Say About Its Strategic Purpose?

Putin instructed the military to determine its possible uses and begin preparations for the infrastructure required to integrate it into the Russian armed forces.

In 2019, Russian military expert Alexei Leonkov wrote that the missile’s intended use would be to destroy the remnants of enemy infrastructure after an initial wave of intercontinental ballistic missile attacks. He said the Burevestnik would be used to eliminate remaining command posts, military bases, factories, and power plants. According to his description, the missile would “trample the aggressor countries into the Stone Age," completing the destruction of their military and civilian infrastructure.

Have There Been Accidents Or Failures During Development?

The missile has had a history of test failures, according to Western experts cited by Reuters. One of the most serious incidents occurred in 2019 when at least five Russian nuclear specialists were killed during a test that resulted in an explosion and the release of radiation in the White Sea. US intelligence sources at the time said they believed the accident was linked to a Burevestnik test, although the missile was not officially named.

Putin later awarded top state honours to the victims’ widows, saying the weapon being developed was “without equal in the world."

According to an arms control campaign group cited by BBC, of at least 13 known tests of the Burevestnik since 2016, only two were partially successful.

The missile’s subsonic speed has also been highlighted as a potential drawback. Western experts have pointed out that such speed could make the missile detectable, and therefore vulnerable, especially if it remains in flight for extended periods.

In addition, the use of a nuclear propulsion system raises concerns about possible radiation discharge during flight, though this has not been officially confirmed.

Where Might It Be Deployed?

As of now, the missile has not been officially deployed. However, Putin has called for the final testing phase to begin and has instructed that preparations for deployment infrastructure be carried out.

In 2024, two US researchers claimed to have identified what they believed to be the probable deployment site for the Burevestnik. The site, named Vologda-20 or Chebsara, is located about 475 kilometres north of Moscow and is known to house a nuclear warhead storage facility.

Using satellite imagery from August 2024, analyst Decker Eveleth told Reuters he had identified nine horizontal launch pads under construction at the site.

Why Is This Significant?

According to the Federation of American Scientists, Russia possesses approximately 5,459 nuclear warheads, while the United States has around 5,177. Together, the two countries control about 87 per cent of the global inventory of nuclear weapons.

The development and testing of a nuclear-powered cruise missile with a long range adds another layer to Russia’s existing strategic capabilities. In 2021, the US Air Force’s National Air and Space Intelligence Center stated, “A nuclear-powered cruise missile would give Russia a unique weapon with intercontinental range capability."

President Putin has reiterated that the missile is invincible to both current and future missile defences, a claim that forms part of a broader narrative about the modernisation of Russia’s nuclear arsenal.

Karishma Jain

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar...Read More

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar...

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