Russian President, Vladimir Putin on Sunday confirmed the successful final test of a new nuclear-powered cruise missile, the Burevestnik, capable of striking targets anywhere in the world.
The announcement comes amid Russia’s ongoing offensive in Ukraine and uncertainty over a potential summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.
“The decisive tests are now complete,” Putin said in a video released by the Kremlin during a meeting with military officials.
He directed the military to prepare the necessary infrastructure to deploy the weapon in active service.
Describing the missile as a “unique creation that no one else in the world possesses,” Putin said the Burevestnik has unlimited range. According to Russia’s Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov, the missile flew 14,000 kilometres (8,700 miles) during its last test on October 21, lasting 15 hours.
He emphasized that this distance was not the weapon’s maximum capability.
“The technical characteristics of the Burevestnik allow it to hit heavily protected targets at any distance with guaranteed precision,” Gerasimov stated.
First announced in 2018, the Burevestnik is designed to evade all existing defense systems, a move Russia justified as a response to perceived threats from the United States.
Seven years later, the final test underscores Moscow’s continued focus on strategic weapons development, even as Russian forces advance gradually in Ukraine.
Efforts to negotiate peace between Moscow and Kyiv have stalled.
Trump, who had pledged to end the war swiftly if he returned to the White House, recently imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, citing stalled negotiations. He also downplayed the likelihood of a new summit with Putin.
Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriev met with Trump administration officials on Friday and Saturday, with talks reportedly continuing Sunday.
Putin, however, declined to set a timeline for ending hostilities.
“We are not going to align anything with any dates or events… our actions will be based on military rationality,” he said.
Meanwhile, violence continues on the ground. A Russian drone attack on Kyiv overnight killed three people and wounded dozens, according to the city’s mayor.
In Russia’s Belgorod region, a Ukrainian drone attack killed one person and injured another, officials said.
