Russia Announces Accomplished Evaluation of Atomic-Propelled Storm Petrel Cruise Missile

Russia has tested the nuclear-powered Burevestnik strategic weapon, according to the state's top military official.

"We have launched a multi-hour flight of a atomic-propelled weapon and it traveled a 14,000km distance, which is not the limit," Chief of General Staff the commander informed the Russian leader in a televised meeting.

The terrain-hugging prototype missile, originally disclosed in 2018, has been portrayed as having a potentially unlimited range and the ability to bypass missile defences.

Western experts have earlier expressed skepticism over the projectile's tactical importance and Russian claims of having successfully tested it.

The head of state declared that a "last accomplished trial" of the armament had been carried out in 2023, but the assertion could not be independently verified. Of a minimum of thirteen documented trials, merely a pair had partial success since 2016, based on an disarmament advocacy body.

The general said the missile was in the sky for fifteen hours during the trial on October 21.

He explained the missile's vertical and horizontal manoeuvring were assessed and were confirmed as up to specification, according to a local reporting service.

"Consequently, it exhibited high capabilities to bypass defensive networks," the news agency quoted the commander as saying.

The missile's utility has been the topic of vigorous discussion in defence and strategic sectors since it was originally disclosed in recent years.

A recent analysis by a American military analysis unit determined: "A nuclear-powered cruise missile would provide the nation a unique weapon with worldwide reach potential."

Yet, as an international strategic institute commented the same year, the nation encounters considerable difficulties in achieving operational status.

"Its integration into the country's inventory arguably hinges not only on resolving the significant development hurdle of guaranteeing the dependable functioning of the atomic power system," analysts noted.

"There occurred several flawed evaluations, and an incident resulting in a number of casualties."

A defence publication quoted in the report asserts the missile has a flight distance of between 10,000 and 20,000km, enabling "the missile to be deployed anywhere in Russia and still be able to strike objectives in the United States mainland."

The identical publication also notes the missile can operate as close to the ground as 50 to 100 metres above the surface, causing complexity for air defences to engage.

The missile, referred to as Skyfall by a foreign security organization, is thought to be powered by a reactor system, which is designed to commence operation after primary launch mechanisms have launched it into the sky.

An examination by a reporting service recently identified a site 475km north of Moscow as the likely launch site of the weapon.

Using orbital photographs from last summer, an analyst reported to the agency he had observed several deployment sites under construction at the facility.

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