Russia to test revolutionary Burevestnik nuclear cruise missile with unlimited range as Putin gets ready to meet Trump over Ukraine war

Russia is planning a new missile surprise for the world as it prepares to test its 9M730 Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile. The development comes ahead of a crucial face-to-face meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to discuss the Ukraine war. Moscow is likely to test its nuclear-tipped 9M730 Burevestnik intercontinental cruise missile in the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the coming days, according to the Barents Observer. Using a nuclear reactor as its power source, the missile is capable of unlimited range and can circumnavigate the earth multiple times before hitting its intended target.

Ahead of the likely missile firing, the airspace above the 500 km zone is shut starting August 7, 2025, till August 12, 2025, and Rosatom ships and aircraft are deployed in the region. Most probably, they will measure radiation levels and record the test results.

The reports of the Russian missile test comes days after Putin’s aide and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev threatened US of war over Trump’s ultimatums to Moscow seeking an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.


“Trump's playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10… He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn't Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don't go down the Sleepy Joe road!” Medvedev said in a post on X in July 2025.

Putin has also constantly issued warnings to Washington and its NATO allies of taking the war to their doorsteps if they get involved directly in the Russia-Ukraine war.

9M730 Burevestnik missile

The Burevestnik is a nuclear-powered cruise missile that can carry a nuclear warhead. It is a cruise missile that can fly at a very low altitude, maneuver, and display extreme agility. If Russia successfully carries out the test, it will become the first country in history to have an operational cruise missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead that uses a nuclear propulsion system. All active nuclear missiles in the world are ballistic missiles.

This gives it an unlimited range that can hit any point on the planet. The range of this missile is unlimited because it has a nuclear reactor as a power source, according to media reports. It is pertinent to mention that the Burevestnik is one of six new Russian strategic weapons unveiled by Vladimir Putin in 2018, according to Technology.org. Moscow has so far kept the details about the Burevestnik’s design and capabilities under wraps.

According to The Barents Observer, at least four vessels are in position along the coast of Novaya Zemlya, and a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) warning for an area of about 40,000 square km is being activated. Additionally, two Rosatom aircraft are currently based at Rogachevo airbase. The Novaya Zemlya archipelago has been a Russian nuclear test site since the Cold War.

To keep a tab on the missile test and find out its secretive details, the US Air Force sent its “nuke sniffer” WC-135R Constant Phoenix plane near the Russian range bordering the Barents Sea.

Multiple failed tests

According to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies’ Missile Defense Project, Russia has carried out over a dozen tests of the cruise missile in the past, according to The Eurasian Times.

The first test of the missile was reportedly in 2016. In August 2019, the Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement revealing that two scientists were killed and six others injured after they were sent to recover the debris following a failed Burevestnik test. There were further tests conducted in 2021, 2022, and 2023.