Russia successfully tested a nuclear-powered cruise missile, and it is moving closer to deploying it, President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday. A video released by Russia showed Putin being told by Gen. Valery Gerasimov, Russia’s chief of general staff, said that the Burevestnik covered 8,700 miles during a test that took place on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.
The Burevestnik, also called the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by NATO, spent 15 hours in the air on nuclear power, though “that’s not the limit,” Gerasimov reportedly said.
“It’s a unique product that no one else in the world possesses,” Putin said, according to Russian media outlet TASS.
“Congratulations to all Russia’s friends on the successful test of the unlimited-range Burevestnik (Storm petrel) cruise missile with a nuclear engine and warhead,” Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on X.
What is the Burevestnik?
First revealed by Putin in March 2018, the Burevestnik, according to Russian officials, has unlimited range and can avoid U.S. missiles. A U.S.-based security organization, The Nuclear Threat Initiative, said in a 2019 report that it could stay in the air for days.
However, experts say that it won’t necessarily add capabilites Russia doesn’t already have. They also say it could disgorge radiation along its flight path, Reuters wrote.
In August 2019, the Burevestnik exploded during tests at a navy range on White Sea. Five nuclear engineers and two service members died, and there was a short increase in radioactivity.
Russia launches 100-plus drones on Ukraine
All this is happening against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine War. Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X that Russia launched more than 100 drones into his country, including “ordinary apartment buildings in several districts” of Kyiv. Three people were killed in the attacks on Kyiv, Zelenskyy said.
Those dead include a 19-year-old girl and her mother, 46, Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko. At least 30 people were injured, seven of them children, were injured, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
“Every Russian strike is an attempt to inflict as much damage as possible on ordinary life. This week, they’ve been striking residential buildings, our people, children and civilian infrastructure. These are the main targets for the Russians,” Zelenskyy said.
During the past week, Russia used almost “1,200 attack drones, more than 1,360 guided aerial bombs and over 50 missiles of different types against Ukraine,” he added.
CNN reported that on Saturday night, a fire erupted in a nine-story residential building located in Kyiv’s Desnianskyi region, and a Russian drone hit a 16-story high-rise.
Natalia Zura, 49, who escaped from the burning house with her daughter Maria, said in an interview with CNN that they “had a terrible night.”
“We had to climb down the fire escape from the third floor,” she said. “Thank you to our rescuers, our guardian angels. We are very grateful because we almost suffocated, we almost burned to death.”
