Russia’s top general has announced that the country has successfully tested its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile. Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov stated in a televised meeting with President Vladimir Putin that the missile completed a multi-hour flight, covering a distance of 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles), and that this range is not yet the limit.
First revealed in 2018, the Burevestnik is a low-flying, experimental weapon that Russia claims possesses potentially unlimited range and the capability to bypass advanced missile defense systems. However, Western experts have previously expressed doubts about the missile’s actual capabilities and the validity of Russia’s test claims.
President Putin himself mentioned a “final successful test” in 2023, a claim that has not been independently verified. According to an arms control campaign group, out of at least 13 known tests since 2016, only two have achieved partial success.
General Gerasimov reported that during the test on October 21st, the missile flew for 15 hours, with its vertical and horizontal maneuverability meeting specifications, according to Russia’s Tass news agency. He further stated that these capabilities demonstrated its effectiveness against missile and air defense systems.
The strategic value of the Burevestnik missile has been a subject of considerable debate among military and defense analysts since its initial announcement. A 2021 report by the US Air Force’s National Air and Space Intelligence Center suggested that a nuclear-powered cruise missile would indeed provide Russia with a unique weapon capable of intercontinental reach.
However, the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) noted in the same year that Russia faces substantial technical hurdles in making the weapon operational. The institute’s analysts pointed out that “Its entry into Russia’s inventory arguably hinges not only on overcoming the considerable technical challenge of ensuring the reliable performance of the nuclear-propulsion unit.” They also highlighted numerous flight-test failures and an accident that resulted in several fatalities.
A Russian military journal cited in an IISS report suggests the missile has a range between 10,000 and 20,000 kilometers, enabling it to be deployed anywhere within Russia and still reach targets in the continental United States. The same journal also claims the missile can fly at altitudes as low as 50 to 100 meters above the ground, making it challenging for air defense systems to detect and intercept.
The missile, designated ‘Skyfall’ by NATO, is believed to be powered by a nuclear reactor that activates after the initial launch phase, which is assisted by solid-fuel rocket boosters. An investigation by Reuters last year identified a facility located 475 kilometers north of Moscow as the probable launch site for the weapon, with satellite imagery from August 2024 showing the construction of nine horizontal launch pads at the site.