Moscow Announces Effective Test of Reactor-Driven Burevestnik Weapon

Russia has tested the atomic-propelled Burevestnik strategic weapon, according to the state's leading commander.

"We have conducted a prolonged flight of a reactor-driven projectile and it traversed a vast distance, which is not the limit," Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported to the head of state in a broadcast conference.

The terrain-hugging advanced armament, originally disclosed in 2018, has been portrayed as having a potentially unlimited range and the capacity to evade missile defences.

Foreign specialists have earlier expressed skepticism over the weapon's military utility and Russian claims of having accomplished its evaluation.

The head of state stated that a "concluding effective evaluation" of the weapon had been carried out in last year, but the assertion was not externally confirmed. Of at least 13 known tests, only two had partial success since several years ago, based on an non-proliferation organization.

The military leader reported the projectile was in the air for a significant duration during the evaluation on the specified date.

He noted the projectile's ascent and directional control were assessed and were confirmed as complying with standards, as per a national news agency.

"As a result, it demonstrated high capabilities to bypass missile and air defence systems," the media source reported the official as saying.

The weapon's usefulness has been the subject of vigorous discussion in armed forces and security communities since it was originally disclosed in recent years.

A previous study by a foreign defence research body determined: "A nuclear-powered cruise missile would give Russia a singular system with worldwide reach potential."

Yet, as an international strategic institute observed the corresponding time, Russia encounters significant challenges in making the weapon viable.

"Its induction into the country's arsenal arguably hinges not only on overcoming the considerable technical challenge of guaranteeing the dependable functioning of the nuclear-propulsion unit," analysts wrote.

"There have been several flawed evaluations, and an incident leading to a number of casualties."

A armed forces periodical cited in the report asserts the missile has a operational radius of between 6,200 and 12,400 miles, permitting "the weapon to be based anywhere in Russia and still be able to reach objectives in the continental US."

The identical publication also says the projectile can operate as at minimal altitude as 164 to 328 feet above the earth, making it difficult for defensive networks to intercept.

The projectile, designated Skyfall by a Western alliance, is thought to be powered by a reactor system, which is intended to activate after initial propulsion units have sent it into the sky.

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

Using satellite imagery from the recent past, an expert informed the outlet he had detected multiple firing positions under construction at the facility.

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