Moscow Reports Effective Test of Reactor-Driven Burevestnik Weapon

Moscow has trialed the atomic-propelled Burevestnik strategic weapon, according to the country's top military official.

"We have executed a prolonged flight of a reactor-driven projectile and it traversed a vast distance, which is not the limit," Senior Military Leader Valery Gerasimov reported to the Russian leader in a televised meeting.

The terrain-hugging advanced armament, first announced in 2018, has been described as having a potentially unlimited range and the capability to evade anti-missile technology.

International analysts have previously cast doubt over the weapon's military utility and the nation's statements of having accomplished its evaluation.

The national leader stated that a "last accomplished trial" of the armament had been held in last year, but the assertion was not externally confirmed. Of a minimum of thirteen documented trials, only two had partial success since 2016, as per an arms control campaign group.

The general reported the missile was in the air for a significant duration during the test on 21 October.

He noted the missile's vertical and horizontal manoeuvring were tested and were determined to be up to specification, based on a domestic media outlet.

"Consequently, it demonstrated superior performance to bypass defensive networks," the outlet quoted the official as saying.

The weapon's usefulness has been the topic of vigorous discussion in military and defence circles since it was first announced in 2018.

A previous study by a American military analysis unit concluded: "A nuclear-powered cruise missile would offer Moscow a unique weapon with intercontinental range capability."

Nonetheless, as a global defence think tank commented the same year, the nation faces considerable difficulties in making the weapon viable.

"Its integration into the country's stockpile potentially relies not only on overcoming the significant development hurdle of guaranteeing the consistent operation of the atomic power system," specialists wrote.

"There occurred numerous flight-test failures, and a mishap resulting in multiple fatalities."

A defence publication referenced in the report claims the weapon has a operational radius of between a substantial span, allowing "the weapon to be stationed throughout the nation and still be equipped to strike targets in the United States mainland."

The same journal also says the missile can fly as low as 164 to 328 feet above the surface, rendering it challenging for air defences to intercept.

The projectile, code-named a specific moniker by a foreign security organization, is considered powered by a nuclear reactor, which is supposed to commence operation after primary launch mechanisms have launched it into the sky.

An inquiry by a media outlet the previous year located a site 295 miles from the city as the probable deployment area of the armament.

Utilizing orbital photographs from August 2024, an analyst reported to the outlet he had observed nine horizontal launch pads being built at the location.

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