Russia has tested the nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile, Moscow's top general has said.
We have launched a multi-hour flight of a nuclear-powered missile that covered a distance of 14,000km (8,700 miles), which is not the limit, Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov told President Vladimir Putin in a televised meeting.
The low-flying experimental weapon, first announced in 2018, has been hailed for its potentially unlimited range and ability to evade missile defenses.
However, Western experts have previously expressed doubts about the missile's strategic value and the validity of Russian claims regarding its successful testing.
Putin stated that a final successful test of the weapon occurred in 2023, but this claim has not been independently verified. Of at least 13 known tests, only two resulted in partial success since 2016, according to an arms control campaign group.
Gerasimov mentioned the missile was airborne for 15 hours during the test conducted on October 21. He noted that the missile's vertical and horizontal maneuvering were found to conform with specifications, demonstrating high capability to bypass missile and air defense systems, according to Russia's Tass news agency.
The missile's utility has been a topic of intense debate within military and defense circles since its introduction in 2018.
A 2021 report by the US Air Force's National Air and Space Intelligence Center concluded that a nuclear-powered cruise missile would arm Russia with a unique weapon capable of intercontinental range.
However, the International Institute for Strategic Studies observed significant challenges faced by Russia in making the weapon operational. According to analysts, substantial technical challenges surround the reliable performance of the nuclear-propulsion unit, and previous tests have resulted in failures and accidents causing fatalities.
A Russian military journal has claimed the missile boasts a range of 10,000 to 20,000km, allowing it to be based anywhere in Russia and reach targets within the continental US. The missile is also said to be capable of flying as low as 50 to 100 meters above ground, complicating interception by air defenses.
Codenamed 'Skyfall' by NATO, the missile is believed to be powered by a nuclear reactor that activates following its launch by solid fuel rocket boosters.
Additionally, an investigation last year identified a site 475km (295 miles) north of Moscow as a likely launch facility for the missile, revealing nine launch pads under construction as observed through satellite imagery.
