It has been codenamed SSC-X-9 Skyfall by NATO and its Russian name is ‘Storm Bird’. Little is known, however, about the Burevestnik, the new Russian nuclear-powered cruise missile capable of confusing air defenses, which has been “successfully” tested by Moscow. On its test course it covered 14,000 kilometers, but General Valery Gerasimov, the Russian General Staff chief, said it spent 15 hours in the air, stressing that “this is not its limit”. Despite its name, however, it is a lethal weapon, promising precision against highly protected sites located at any range. A weapon, Vladimir Putin proudly summed up ,
“without equal in the world”.The super rocket is launched from the ground at low altitude, capable of carrying nuclear warheads and itself powered by nuclear energy. It is precisely this nuclear propulsion system that allows it to travel greater distances. The Russians claim that it not only has an unlimited range , but that it can also evade defenses. Operating at low altitudes, between 50 and 100 meters, it is more difficult for radar to detect.
Many Western experts are skeptical, pointing out that a nuclear-powered missile could be highly unreliable. When Russian President Vladimir Putin first revealed that Russia was working on such a missile in his 2018 State of the Nation address, he claimed it would have an unlimited range, allowing it to circumnavigate the globe undetected by air defense systems. The Russian leader added during recent military exercises that this missile is invincible against current and future missile defenses, thanks to its nearly unlimited range and unpredictable flight path. Many observers argue that such a missile could be difficult to maneuver and pose a threat to the environment.
The British think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies has speculated that the Burevestnik could have a range of up to 20,000 kilometers, allowing it to strike targets in the United States from several Russian locations. According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a defense group focused on reducing nuclear risks, the Burevestnik could potentially remain aloft for days, releasing nuclear warheads unpredictably. Today Putin ordered that the"infrastructure for putting this weapon into service in the Russian armed forces" be prepared. In 2024, US researchers identified a nuclear storage facility north of Moscow as a possible deployment site for the missile. However, some experts point out that the missile's subsonic speed could increase its vulnerability the longer it remains in the air, and that it could pose radiation risks during flight. The development of the super missile itself has not been without missteps. In 2019, five people died while attempting to recover one from the seabed, lost during a failed test.
The United States and Soviet Union worked on nuclear-powered missiles during the Cold War, but ultimately abandoned the projects, deeming the weapon too dangerous. According to leaks, the Burevestnik suffered an explosion in August 2019 during tests at a Russian navy range on the White Sea. Five nuclear engineers and two service members died, and the accident caused a brief spike in radioactivity that alarmed nearby populations. Russian officials never specified which weapon was involved in the explosion, but the United States said it was the Burevestnik. Putin has called for infrastructure preparations to include this missile among those used in warfare by the Russian army, which meanwhile continues to attack Ukraine. During the night between Saturday and Sunday, drones struck the capital Kiev, killing at least three people. Moscow troops also announced that they had surrounded the city of Kupyansk, cutting off all escape routes for approximately 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers.
