Putin Unveils Plans for Russia's Next-Generation Nuclear Cruise Missile

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that his country has begun the development of the latest generation of nuclear-powered cruise missiles. The statement was made during a state awards ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.

"Development has begun on the next generation of nuclear-powered cruise missiles. Their speed will be more than three times the speed of sound, and in the future, they will even become hypersonic," said Putin, as reported by Anadolu. He added that the new weapon is being developed with a power system similar to the Burevestnik missile and the unmanned underwater Poseidon vehicle.

The Burevestnik and Poseidon Projects

In his address, Putin mentioned that the Burevestnik project holds historical significance for the Russian people and is crucial to ensuring security and strategic balance for decades to come. He also revealed that a NATO ship was near the testing site on October 21 when the Burevestnik missile was tested. "Moscow didn't interfere with its operations," said Putin.

According to him, the development of Poseidon is closely related to Burevestnik. "Work on the Poseidon is closely linked to the creation of Burevestnik. The technologies and technological innovations used in both are in many ways unique and complement each other," he said. Putin added that the new materials and technologies resulting from both projects can bring advancements not only in defense but also in civilian sectors.

Putin emphasized that Moscow is not threatening any other country, and the development of nuclear capabilities is being carried out just as other nuclear-armed states do. "This year, we will deploy the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile system into combat testing, and next year, into combat duty," he said.

Previously, Putin mentioned that the Burevestnik and Poseidon missiles were first announced in 2018 and were designed with unlimited range capabilities. Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov also stated that in the latest test, the Burevestnik missile successfully flew for 15 hours and covered 14,000 kilometers.

Political Maneuver Amidst Tensions with the U.S.

According to a report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), cited on its official website, Putin's announcement of the development of these nuclear weapons can be seen as an effort to pressure policymakers in the United States to refrain from taking actions deemed as threatening Russia's interests.

CSIS believes that the testing of Burevestnik could be part of a "nuclear saber-rattling" strategy to influence Washington's policies, especially concerning the deployment of long-range weapons like Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

The report also notes that by developing nuclear-powered cruise missiles with the potential to reach the United States, Putin is attempting to demonstrate that Russia remains capable of modernizing its nuclear capabilities even without the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which is set to expire in 2026.

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