President Vladimir Putin claims that now that Russia's nuclear missiles can reach US targets, its adversaries won't survive

 President Vladimir Putin claims that now that Russia's nuclear missiles can reach US targets, its adversaries won't survive

The most recent statements made by Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding his nation's strategic nuclear arsenal have caused a stir in global defense forums.

On February 24, 2022, Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, and since then, he has repeatedly emphasized Russia's nuclear capability. No one with a rational mind, he insisted, would deploy nuclear weapons against Russia.

According to Putin, "such a number that we have missiles - hundreds, hundreds - would be visible in the air that not a single opponent would have a chance of existence" if any country dared to do so.

This ground-launched missile, known as the "Storm Petrel" (or "Burevestnik" in Russian), is both nuclear-capable and nuclear-powered. It stands out because of its extraordinary range. Its ability to go up to 20,000 miles was once observed by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. This suggests that the missile could theoretically hit targets in the United States if it were deployed anywhere in Russia, according to Reuters.

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Its capability to fly at astonishingly low altitudes of 50 to 100 meters is another outstanding aspect. It can avoid air defense radars very easily thanks to this characteristic, making it a stealthy challenger. In 2020, the National Air and Space Intelligence Center of the United States Air Force stated that this missile would provide Moscow with a "unique weapon with intercontinental-range capability" once it was operational.

The 'Storm Petrel's' journey hasn't been without difficulties, though. Data from the past suggests that tests have failed. The terrible deaths of five Russian nuclear specialists occurred in 2019 as a result of an explosion that occurred during an experimental procedure in the White Sea. Although unofficially unconfirmed, rumors in US intelligence circles suggested that this was a Burevestnik test.

Concerns that West has for Burevestnik

The West had doubts about the missile's true use for a while. A security organization called the Nuclear Threat Initiative once estimated that it might be ten years before the Burevestnik is deployed in 2019. 

The ability of this missile to linger in the air for long periods of time—possibly days—could revolutionize nuclear strategy by allowing it to circumnavigate the globe, avoid defenses, and strike suddenly.

According to Reuters, recent developments in Russian strategic systems may complicate Moscow-Washington discussions on nuclear weapons limits. Russia withdrew earlier this year from the New START deal, which aims to limit nuclear arsenals and expires in 2026.