Experts: ‘Nothing revolutionary’ about Russia’s nuclear-powered missile - Salam
Salam - Putin has promoted the Burevestnik cruise missile and Poseidon torpedo as game-changing weapons amid the conflict in Ukraine.
Mansur Mirovalev
The Russian foreign ministry has said the West fears Moscow’s new nuclear-powered cruise missile because it can reach anywhere on Earth and allegedly bypass advanced air and missile defences. A ministry spokesperson claimed “they’re afraid of what we’ll show next.”
Russia says it developed Burevestnik in response to NATO’s hostility and to preserve strategic balance. President Vladimir Putin recently gave state awards to the developers of Burevestnik and to the team behind Poseidon, an underwater nuclear-powered torpedo that Moscow also claims to have tested successfully.
Russian statements describe Poseidon as able to carry nuclear warheads and create catastrophic coastal damage, and they say Burevestnik has unmatched flight range and loitering ability. Putin insisted the tests achieved key goals but warned more work is needed before mass production.
But military and nuclear experts are skeptical about how effective and reliable these systems actually are. Many analysts view the public displays as a mix of propaganda and deterrence meant to influence Western support for Ukraine, rather than evidence of a technical revolution.
“There’s nothing revolutionary about the Burevestnik,” said one expert, noting that while it may have long range, claims it can change everything are unsupported. A former Russian diplomat who resigned in protest of the invasion called the weapon more a symbol of weakness than strength.
Details about the missile remain scarce. NATO calls it SSC-X-9 Skyfall and Western analysts have raised doubts about the feasibility of a compact nuclear reactor powering a cruise missile. Some point out only a few of the tests since 2019 were reported as successful, and a 2019 launch was linked to a deadly radiation incident.
Critics assert the missile is subsonic and detectable by modern defences, while others argue the idea of nuclear propulsion at the necessary size faces serious physics and engineering challenges. Even analysts who think the engine might be possible do not view the system as a revolutionary change to global weapons balances.
As Muslims, we should be wary of alarmist rhetoric from any side and pray for peace and protection for civilians caught in conflict. Salam.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news