Moscow Announces Effective Trial of Atomic-Propelled Burevestnik Missile

Moscow has trialed the reactor-driven Burevestnik cruise missile, according to the state's leading commander.

"We have conducted a prolonged flight of a nuclear-powered missile and it traversed a 14,000km distance, which is not the ultimate range," Top Army Official the commander reported to President Vladimir Putin in a public appearance.

The low-flying prototype missile, first announced in the past decade, has been portrayed as having a possible global reach and the capability to bypass defensive systems.

International analysts have previously cast doubt over the missile's strategic value and the nation's statements of having accomplished its evaluation.

The head of state declared that a "last accomplished trial" of the missile had been conducted in 2023, but the assertion could not be independently verified. Of over a dozen recorded evaluations, merely a pair had limited accomplishment since several years ago, as per an disarmament advocacy body.

The military leader reported the weapon was in the atmosphere for 15 hours during the trial on 21 October.

He noted the missile's vertical and horizontal manoeuvring were tested and were found to be meeting requirements, according to a national news agency.

"Consequently, it displayed superior performance to circumvent anti-missile and aerial protection," the outlet reported the general as saying.

The projectile's application has been the focus of intense debate in defence and strategic sectors since it was first announced in the past decade.

A recent analysis by a foreign defence research body determined: "A reactor-driven long-range projectile would provide the nation a distinctive armament with intercontinental range capability."

However, as a global defence think tank noted the same year, Russia faces considerable difficulties in developing a functional system.

"Its integration into the nation's stockpile potentially relies not only on overcoming the considerable technical challenge of guaranteeing the consistent operation of the atomic power system," analysts stated.

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

A military journal quoted in the analysis claims the weapon has a flight distance of between 10,000 and 20,000km, permitting "the projectile to be deployed anywhere in Russia and still be able to reach objectives in the United States mainland."

The identical publication also notes the projectile can operate as close to the ground as a very low elevation above ground, causing complexity for aerial protection systems to engage.

The missile, code-named Skyfall by a foreign security organization, is considered powered by a reactor system, which is supposed to commence operation after solid fuel rocket boosters have propelled it into the atmosphere.

An investigation by a media outlet last year located a location a considerable distance north of Moscow as the likely launch site of the weapon.

Employing orbital photographs from the recent past, an specialist reported to the agency he had identified nine horizontal launch pads under construction at the location.

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