After giving the order for nuclear weapons tests on an equal footing with other countries, US President Donald Trump claimed that Washington and Moscow are discussing issues of nuclear disarmament.
The actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in the last 24 hours hark back to the era of the Cold War. Following the… cancellation of the Summit they were scheduled to hold in Budapest, primarily concerning the Ukrainian issue, both sides are moving towards displays of power. Trump, along with cancelling the meeting with Putin, announced that he is imposing very strict sanctions on the Russian oil "giants," Rosneft and Lukoil. Subsequently, Putin, after participating in planned nuclear weapons exercises, unveiled a new weapon, the Burevestnik missile, which—as he said—has a nuclear engine enabling it to fly indefinitely and cover distances of tens of thousands of kilometres while being impossible to intercept. Many experts argue that the Burevestnik overturns current military and geopolitical balances, as it renders useless both Trump's famous Golden Dome anti-missile system and the US president's argument that the US is protected by a… wonderful ocean. Under these circumstances, Trump ordered the Pentagon to immediately begin nuclear weapons tests on an equal footing with other countries, breaking a moratorium the US had observed for 33 years…
Trump's order: Immediately start nuclear tests
Trump announced that he instructed the Pentagon to immediately resume nuclear testing, citing the actions of "other nuclear powers." The American president did not specify exactly which types of tests were referred to, nor if they included the detonation of nuclear warheads. This decision was made following Russian President Vladimir Putin's statements about the testing of the Burevestnik missile and the revelations about the Poseidon underwater missile. The US had not conducted nuclear tests since 1992.
Trump’s intervention: I would like denuclearisation – I’m discussing it with Russia
After giving the order for nuclear weapons tests on an equal footing with other countries, US President Donald Trump claimed that Washington and Moscow are discussing issues of nuclear disarmament. When asked by a journalist during the flight to Washington whether he thought his decision to resume nuclear testing increases the risks in this area, Trump replied: "No, I don't think so." "I would like to see denuclearisation. We have a lot of nuclear weapons, and Russia has too. Russia is in second place, China in third, and they will catch up in four or five years. I think de-escalation, which they call denuclearisation, would be a wonderful thing. We are discussing it with Russia, and China will join this discussion if we do something," Trump stated.
We have the most nuclear weapons
However, Trump stated on Truth Social that tests should begin "immediately," and the US would act "on an equal basis" with other nuclear powers. "This process will begin immediately," he noted. Trump added that the US "has more nuclear weapons than any other country," and linked this to the weapon modernisation during his first term.
The last test in 1992
The US had not conducted nuclear tests since 1992, observing a unilateral moratorium. This refers to the cessation of underground nuclear weapons explosions at nuclear test sites, which were in full swing during the Cold War. In 1996, the US signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), but the document was not ratified by Congress, so it did not become legally binding for Washington. Despite this, the American authorities observed the de facto moratorium, conducting only computational simulations and tests that did not involve nuclear explosions.
Constant escalation
Trump's statements had been preceded by a response to Putin that the US had deployed its best nuclear submarine off the coast of Russia. With this argument, the US President wanted to respond to Russia’s revelation of the Burevestnik. In this context, Trump had even claimed that the US doesn't need missiles with a range of… 8,000 miles. "We have the best nuclear submarine in the world right off their coast. I mean, it doesn't have to travel 8,000 miles. They're not playing games with us. And we're not playing games," he said.
The missile threatening the US
According to the Asia Times, the Russian Burevestnik missile could challenge US security guarantees. As reported, the existence of the Burevestnik forces the United States to spend excessively large amounts on creating anti-missile defence systems, such as the famous Golden Dome that Trump has announced, the effectiveness of which is not guaranteed against this type of weapon. In March 2018, in his address to the Federal Assembly, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that a small-sized nuclear energy unit had been developed in Russia, which could be used in cruise missiles, allowing them to gain a practically unlimited range. As the president mentioned, the missile will be low-altitude, inconspicuous, with an unpredictable flight path, and will carry a nuclear warhead.
NYT: Burevestnik shatters Trump’s golden dome
Within 5 days of the revelations regarding the successful test of the Burevestnik missile, the international press has not concealed... the danger and the upheaval that this Russian superweapon brings to military balances. Characteristic is the article in the New York Times, which stated that the new Russian Burevestnik missile will be capable of evading the most modern American anti-missile defence system, the Golden Dome, whose development Trump recently proudly announced. According to the New York Times, Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement of preparations for the deployment of a new nuclear-powered missile was "a clear message to the West after the collapse of a planned meeting with Trump." The newspaper quotes Jeffrey Lewis, a nuclear non-proliferation expert at Middlebury College, who called the Burevestnik "a little flying Chernobyl" and stated directly that Russia's acquisition of such weapons is "a bad development" for the United States. "This is yet another science fiction weapon that will be destabilising and difficult to manage in the context of arms control," the American expert stated.
It’s invulnerable! It first circles the planet and then strikes its target with fury
According to Military Watch Magazine, the 9M730 Burevestnik cruise missile is capable of "lurking in the sky for years" and then suddenly striking where least expected. Theoretically, it can circle the globe thousands of times before hitting its target. The missile's range is unlimited, making it essentially invulnerable to all existing and future anti-missile and air defence systems.
Nuclear engine
During his visit yesterday to the P.V. Mandryka military hospital in Moscow, Putin made new revelations about the missile. "This small nuclear propulsion system is a thousand times smaller than a submarine reactor, but it can be activated almost instantly, unlike conventional reactors." "We can be proud of the achievement of our scientists, specialists, engineers, and workers who built it. The advantage lies in the fact that this small nuclear power unit, while having power comparable to the nuclear reactor of an atomic submarine, is a thousand times smaller than a submarine's nuclear reactor, a thousand times," Putin emphasised.
The development
Based on the results of a vote on the Russian Ministry of Defence website, the missile was named Burevestnik. It was the first incident in Russian history that the name of a weapon was chosen by a nationwide vote. In the past, names were determined by the military. The development of the missile began after the US withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty of 1972, in December 2001. The creation of new strategic weapon systems is aimed at strengthening defence capability and deterring any attack against Russia and its allies, as stated by the Russian Ministry of Defence.
Poseidon is also unique
But Putin did not limit himself to demonstrating the Burevestnik. Yesterday he also referred to another nuclear-powered weapon, the Poseidon underwater missile. "Poseidon is unique in speed and depth, making it impossible to intercept," the Russian president stated. He explained that the successful test included not only the launch from a submarine with the booster, but also the ignition of the nuclear reactor, powering the vehicle for a specific period of time. "Regarding the speed and operating depths of this unmanned device, there is nothing analogous in the world, and none is expected soon. And there are no ways of interception," Putin pointed out, adding that the advanced Sarmat will also soon be put on operational readiness, stressing: "There is no other missile like the Sarmat in the world, and it will be put into service soon," Putin said, characterising the actions of the Russian armed forces to ensure Russia's security as the most important task.
The Burevestnik test
Washington's decision came immediately after Russia's statement about the next phase of testing the Burevestnik nuclear-powered missile. The Chief of the General Staff of Russia, Valery Gerasimov, informed President Vladimir Putin about the successful test on October 26. According to Gerasimov, the missile managed to cover about 14,000 kilometres in about 15 hours, which practically means it can perform a round-the-world flight without refuelling. The Burevestnik is one of the most discussed Russian strategic weapons of recent years. Its weight reaches 300 kilograms, its maximum speed is up to 200 kilometres per hour with the operating range at an altitude of 200 to 3500 metres. The missile is designed to bypass anti-missile defence systems, including the ability to choose a difficult trajectory at low altitude.
Burevestnik and Poseidon: The Russian ‘superweapons’ that change the balance of power
Moscow appears to have made a technological leap that overturns the data in the military balance of the planet. As Vladimir Putin revealed, Russia is not only making progress on the battlefield, but also in the field of new-generation weapons—with two names standing out: Burevestnik and Poseidon. The Russian President, speaking on October 29, confirmed the conduct of a new test of the Poseidon, an unmanned underwater vehicle equipped with a nuclear propulsion system. This weapon, as military analyst Evgeny Mikhailov explains to Sputnik, constitutes "a completely new generation of strategic weapons" and radically changes the rules of the game. "The Poseidon, thanks to its nuclear reactor, can operate at great depths indefinitely and reach almost any point of the planet's oceans," Mikhailov emphasises. In other words, Russia now possesses a weapon practically invulnerable to existing anti-missile defence systems, capable of acting as a super-deterrent.
Technological breakthrough
The Burevestnik, a nuclear-powered strategic cruise missile, constitutes a similar technological breakthrough, which—according to Mikhailov—"many international experts until recently considered impossible to build." Nevertheless, as he points out, the weapon already exists and has been successfully tested, refuting those who believed it was Russian propaganda. The testing of both systems, which are part of Putin's strategic announcements for the modernisation of Russian forces, seems to cause embarrassment in the West, as there has been no official statement from NATO or the US so far. Mikhailov notes meaningfully: "The silence of the West is indicative. When there is no answer, it means that the message has been received—and has caused concern."
Global deterrent power
According to military analysts, the Burevestnik and the Poseidon are part of a broader Russian strategy to ensure its deterrent power globally, at a time when geopolitical tensions with the West are intensifying. The presentation of these two systems is not simply a display of force; it is a clear warning that Russia now possesses means capable of surpassing any defence system, reintroducing the logic of the balance of terror in a new, technologically advanced form.
China: Burevestnik will change the strategic balance in the world
In China, they report that the "Burevestnik" missile will change the strategic balance in the world. The Chinese magazine Sohu reported that the "Burevestnik" can change the strategic balance in the world. According to the article's author, this specific Russian missile is able to bypass any missile air defence systems and its speed will not leave opponents time to react. "Burevestnik will undoubtedly destroy the existing strategic balance and become a serious deterrent for the United States and NATO," the publication claims, stating that the revelation of the data on the new missiles makes the West "tremble with fear," since there are no effective means to intercept the "Burevestnik." The columnist stresses that the Russian missile will hang over Western countries like the Sword of Damocles.
Weapon of retaliation
Russian military expert Alexey Leonkov argues that the "Burevestnik" is not a first-strike weapon and can be used after a nuclear attack. Leonkov mentioned that the "Burevestnik" was first presented in 2018, and its tests after seven years show that the missile will enter serial production. According to the military expert, the weapon belongs to the nuclear triad, but has its own particularity. "This is a weapon of retaliation, meaning not a first-strike but a missile used when a nuclear exchange has already taken place. The main goal of the Burevestnik is to destroy the remaining political and military infrastructure of the opponent," Leonkov underscores, pointing out that the missile has an unlimited range of application and can bypass the remaining pockets of the opponent's anti-missile and air defence systems.
Revolutionary weapon, say the Americans
Former US Army officer Stanislav Krapivnik characterised the "Burevestnik" a revolutionary weapon. Krapivnik mentioned that the Burevestnik is capable of complicating the operation of the US "Golden Dome" air defence system, as well as increasing the costs for the project's implementation. In his view, this is due to the "Burevestnik's" ability to bypass US defence networks. For this reason, the US will be forced to cover the entire country with the "Golden Dome." "With the appearance of the Burevestnik missile, this is exactly what will need to be done, which will greatly complicate the work and increase the cost," the American expert noted.
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