Kyiv, Ukraine – Russia’s new nuclear-powered cruise missile, the Burevestnik, has drawn global attention due to its purported ability to fly intercontinental distances and bypass advanced missile defence systems. Russian officials, including Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, have claimed that the West fears this weapon because of its unmatched capabilities.
“They’re afraid of what we’ll show to them next,” Zakharova told RIA Novosti on Sunday, highlighting Moscow’s position that the missile is a strategic response to NATO actions.
Russia’s Claims About Burevestnik
Moscow has repeatedly stated that the missile, whose name means “storm petrel,” was developed out of necessity to maintain strategic balance amid NATO’s missile defence expansion. Zakharova emphasised that:
“The development can be characterised as forced and takes place to maintain strategic balance. Russia has to respond to NATO’s increasingly destabilising actions in the field of missile defence.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin presented state awards to Burevestnik’s developers, alongside designers of Poseidon, an underwater nuclear-powered torpedo capable of causing radioactive tsunamis.
“In terms of flight range, the Burevestnik … has surpassed all known missile systems in the world,” Putin said during a Kremlin ceremony.
Expert Skepticism
Military and nuclear experts remain sceptical about Moscow’s claims. Pavel Podvig, director of the Russian Nuclear Forces Project at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research, told Al Jazeera that:
“There’s nothing revolutionary about the Burevestnik. It can fly long and far, and there’s some novelty, but there’s nothing to back [Putin’s claim] that it can absolutely change everything.”
Boris Bondarev, a former Russian diplomat, added that the missile represents propaganda more than technical innovation:
“It symbolises not strength but weakness – the Kremlin’s lack of any tools of political influence other than threats.”
Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, former deputy head of Ukraine’s general staff specialising in air and missile defence, criticised Kremlin reports as exaggerated, noting that the missile is subsonic and detectable by modern defence systems.
Poseidon Torpedo: Another Controversial Weapon
Alongside Burevestnik, Russia has tested the Poseidon nuclear drone, designed for second-strike retaliatory attacks. Experts caution that Poseidon’s destructive potential is limited to post-nuclear-war scenarios, and its operational viability remains uncertain due toa lack of public technical details.
Testing and Safety Concerns
Burevestnik has a checkered test history. Only two out of a dozen attempts since 2019 are reported to have been successful. A 2019 test near the White Sea killed at least five nuclear scientists in a radioactive accident. Russia has released limited data on test routes and missile deployment sites, making verification difficult.
Known deployment sites, such as Vologda-20 (also called Chebsara), are reportedly under construction north of Moscow with multiple launch pads.
Analysis of Missile Capabilities
According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, Burevestnik could carry nuclear warheads and navigate low-altitude paths to avoid missile defences. However, experts argue that creating a compact nuclear reactor capable of powering a cruise missile is a significant technical challenge. Pavel Luzin of Tufts University explained:
“It’s impossible to create a reactor that is compact and powerful enough to ensure a cruise missile’s movement. This is basic physics.”
Analysts agree that while Burevestnik may have operational potential, it is not a revolutionary weapon and falls short of Putin’s bold claims.
Political Implications
Moscow’s promotion of Burevestnik appears designed to intimidate the West amid its invasion of Ukraine. President Trump called the test inappropriate, prompting renewed US nuclear testing. Analysts suggest that Kremlin announcements may be more about psychological impact than actual battlefield capability.
Conclusion
Despite Russian claims, experts largely agree that Burevestnik is not a game-changing weapon. Technical limitations, lack of verified test success, and historical safety concerns suggest that the missile’s prominence is as much about propaganda as military capability. The weapon highlights Russia’s desire to project strength, but skepticism remains about its operational reality.
