Moscow Confirms Accomplished Trial of Atomic-Propelled Storm Petrel Cruise Missile

Moscow has trialed the atomic-propelled Burevestnik long-range missile, 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 ultimate range," Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov told the head of state in a broadcast conference.

The terrain-hugging advanced armament, initially revealed in recent years, has been described as having a potentially unlimited range and the ability to avoid missile defences.

Western experts have in the past questioned over the weapon's military utility and Moscow's assertions of having accomplished its evaluation.

The national leader declared that a "concluding effective evaluation" of the weapon had been conducted in 2023, but the statement was not externally confirmed. Of at least 13 known tests, merely a pair had moderate achievement since several years ago, as per an non-proliferation organization.

The military leader said the missile was in the sky for 15 hours during the trial on 21 October.

He said the weapon's altitude and course adjustments were assessed and were confirmed as complying with standards, based on a national news agency.

"As a result, it demonstrated superior performance to circumvent missile and air defence systems," the outlet quoted the general as saying.

The projectile's application has been the focus of intense debate in defence and strategic sectors since it was originally disclosed in recent years.

A recent analysis by a American military analysis unit stated: "A reactor-driven long-range projectile would provide the nation a distinctive armament with worldwide reach potential."

Yet, as a global defence think tank commented the corresponding time, Russia encounters major obstacles in making the weapon viable.

"Its entry into the nation's inventory likely depends not only on overcoming the considerable technical challenge of securing the reliable performance of the atomic power system," analysts wrote.

"There have been several flawed evaluations, and an accident resulting in a number of casualties."

A military journal referenced in the report claims the projectile has a range of between a substantial span, allowing "the projectile to be deployed throughout the nation and still be able to target targets in the United States mainland."

The identical publication also says the weapon can travel as at minimal altitude as a very low elevation above ground, causing complexity for defensive networks to stop.

The projectile, code-named an operational name by a foreign security organization, is believed to be propelled by a atomic power source, which is designed to engage after primary launch mechanisms have launched it into the air.

An examination by a media outlet recently identified a facility 475km north of Moscow as the possible firing point of the armament.

Employing space-based photos from the recent past, an specialist told the outlet he had identified nine horizontal launch pads under construction at the facility.

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