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Russia's Poseidon and Burevestnik: Doomsday weapons or coercive nuclear signaling?

By kevinhughes // 2025-11-09

• Russian President Vladimir Putin announced successful tests of two advanced nuclear systems – the Burevestnik (a nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed cruise missile with unlimited range, making it nearly impossible to intercept) and the Poseidon (an autonomous nuclear-powered underwater drone capable of carrying 100-megaton warheads, designed to create radioactive "doomsday" zones.)
• The Burevestnik's slow speed (~580 mph) raises doubts about its effectiveness as a first-strike weapon, but it could serve as a second-strike deterrent. Meanwhile, the Poseidon is intended to devastate coastal regions with radioactive fallout, potentially rendering cities uninhabitable for centuries.
• The Burevestnik program has suffered deadly accidents, including a 2019 radiation leak that killed scientists and soldiers. Previous unexplained radiation spikes in Europe (2017-2018) may be linked to earlier tests.
• Putin's announcement coincides with escalating U.S.-Russia tensions over Ukraine and failed diplomatic talks. The weapons are seen as coercive nuclear signaling – either deterring NATO or positioning these weapons as bargaining chips in arms control negotiations.
• The U.S. responded by resuming nuclear weapons testing after a 33-year moratorium. NATO analysts remain skeptical, citing technical hurdles and vulnerability to future countermeasures. Risks include destabilizing global security and incentivizing preemptive strikes in a crisis.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again thrust Moscow's advanced nuclear arsenal into the global spotlight, announcing successful tests of two experimental weapons – the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile and the Poseidon nuclear-armed underwater drone. The Russian leader has hailed both systems as "unmatched in the world." However, they have raised alarm among Western defense analysts, who warn that these weapons could redefine strategic deterrence or serve as a high-stakes bluff in Moscow's escalating geopolitical standoff with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) The Burevestnik – meaning "Storm Petrel" – is a nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed cruise missile with a theoretically unlimited range, making it nearly impossible to intercept using conventional missile defenses. According to Putin, the latest test saw the missile fly for 15 hours over 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles), averaging 580 mph – comparable to Russia's Kalibr cruise missile. Military expert Andrey Klintsevich told Sputnik News that increasing the missile's speed threefold would make it hypersonic, rendering it "virtually invincible" due to the plasma cloud surrounding it at Mach 5+ speeds, obscuring its trajectory from radar. However, the Burevestnik's development has been marred by disaster. In 2019, a failed test led to a radiation leak that killed five Rosatom scientists and two soldiers. Previous unexplained spikes in iodine-131 and ruthenium-106 across Northern Europe (2017-2018) may also be linked to earlier tests. Despite Putin's claims of a breakthrough, analysts question its operational viability. The U.S. Department of War assesses it as a second-strike weapon, designed to loiter in the air before striking targets if Russia faces nuclear attack. Yet its slow speed—taking hours to reach targets—gives adversaries ample time to counter it. More alarming is the Poseidon, an autonomous nuclear-powered torpedo capable of carrying 100-megaton warheads – far exceeding the destructive power of Russia's Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile. According to Russian state media, Poseidon can travel at 200 km/h (120 mph) underwater, though Pentagon estimates suggest a more realistic 55 km/h (30 knots). Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ominously declared: "Unlike the Burevestnik, the Poseidon can be considered a doomsday weapon in the full sense of the word." A leaked 2015 Kremlin document outlined its purpose: "Damaging the adversary’s economy in coastal areas and inflicting unacceptable damage by creating zones of radioactive contamination unsuitable for military, economic, or other activity for long periods of time." Nuclear security expert Jeffrey Lewis warns the Poseidon could function as a massive dirty bomb, flooding coastal cities with cesium-137 fallout, rendering them uninhabitable for centuries. Reports indicate Russia has deployed Poseidon drones off both U.S. coasts, raising fears of a radioactive tsunami scenario.

Strategic signaling following failed U.S.-Russia diplomatic talks

The timing of these tests is critical. They follow failed U.S.-Russia diplomatic talks and coincide with escalating tensions over Ukraine. Analysts suggest Putin is engaging in coercive nuclear signaling—reminding Washington of Moscow's destructive capabilities while avoiding overt threats. The Kremlin may also be positioning these weapons as bargaining chips in future arms control negotiations. Russian officials have hinted that limiting U.S. missile defenses (like the Golden Dome) could be exchanged for constraints on Poseidon and Burevestnik deployments. The U.S. responded swiftly. Following the Burevestnik test, President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to resume nuclear weapons testing – ending a 33-year moratorium. Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov dismissed the move, insisting Russia's tests were propulsion trials, not weapons development. NATO officials remain skeptical of Russia's claims. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) notes that both weapons face serious technical hurdles, and their slow speeds make them vulnerable to future countermeasures like quantum sensors and drone interceptors. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch engine, the IISS is a British think tank specializing in the fields of geopolitics, international security and strategic studies. Established in 1958, it is one of the world's leading institutions for the study of global security and political-military affairs. While the Burevestnik and Poseidon may not decisively shift the nuclear balance, their psychological impact is undeniable. Putin's announcements serve dual purposes: deterring NATO intervention in Ukraine while pressuring the U.S. into concessions on arms control. Yet the risks are immense. If deployed, these weapons could destabilize global security, incentivizing preemptive strikes in a crisis. As Medvedev's chilling warning suggests, the Kremlin is willing to flirt with Armageddon – raising the stakes in an already volatile world. Watch the video below about Russia's nuclear-powered cruise missile Burevestnik. This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: Sputnikglobe.com OpforJournal.com Smgn.org BrightU.ai Brighteon.com

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