Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced the successful test of the country’s nuclear-powered cruise missile, the 9M730 Burevestnik, claiming it can penetrate any defence system in the world.
During a televised meeting with senior military commanders, Putin, dressed in full camouflage gear, described the missile as a “unique weapon that no other nation possesses.” He said crucial testing of the missile had been completed, asserting that it could bypass both current and future missile defences.
According to Russia’s top general, Valery Gerasimov, the Burevestnik — known to NATO as the SSC-X-9 Skyfall — flew for nearly 15 hours, covering 14,000 kilometres during its latest test on 21 October. The weapon, which is both nuclear-powered and nuclear-capable, reportedly has an “unlimited range” and an unpredictable flight path, making it difficult to intercept.
However, Western analysts have cast doubt on its strategic value, noting that such a missile may offer little practical advantage beyond Russia’s existing nuclear arsenal and could pose environmental risks due to potential radiation leaks.
Meanwhile, Moscow was forced to shut down two airports overnight as its air defence systems repelled a major Ukrainian drone attack. Russian authorities claimed to have destroyed 193 drones in total — including 34 targeting Moscow and 47 over the Bryansk region, where one person was killed and five others were injured when a drone struck a minibus.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the drones targeting the capital were shot down over a six-hour period starting late Sunday night. The city’s Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports were temporarily closed for about two and a half hours to ensure flight safety.
The escalating drone exchanges highlight the intensifying “cat-and-mouse” aerial warfare between Russia and Ukraine. Kyiv has increasingly relied on domestically produced drones to strike deep inside Russian territory, while Moscow continues to deploy large-scale retaliatory attacks against Ukrainian cities.
Despite the intensifying hostilities, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Russia remains open to diplomatic dialogue with the United States, though he described recent U.S. sanctions on Russian oil companies as “unfriendly.”
The renewed missile test and drone clashes underscore the growing complexity and danger of the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war, now in its fourth year, with both nations showing little sign of backing down.
