President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia has successfully tested a new strategic missile and did not rule out the possibility of weapons tests involving nuclear explosions. Speaking at an annual gathering of analysts and journalists, Putin revealed that Moscow had successfully tested the Burevestnik, a nuclear-powered cruise missile with a potential range of thousands of miles. He also confirmed that Russia’s work on its Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile system was nearing completion. Putin emphasized that no one in their right mind would use nuclear weapons against Russia and warned that if an attack was detected, Russia would respond with a massive number of missiles, making survival impossible for the enemy. While Russia has not conducted a nuclear explosion test since 1990, Putin did not dismiss the notion of resuming such testing. He noted that Russia had ratified the treaty banning nuclear tests, unlike the United States, and suggested that Russia’s parliament could revoke its ratification. Analysts caution that a resumption of nuclear testing by Russia or the US would intensify current tensions between the two countries, which are already at their highest point in decades. Putin also addressed calls to lower Russia’s threshold for nuclear use, stating that he did not see the need for it as the Russian state faced no immediate threat. In response to suggestions by Russian analyst Sergei Karaganov to use nuclear weapons to intimidate opponents, Putin dismissed the idea, highlighting that no rational person would consider using nuclear weapons against Russia. These statements come at a time when Russia’s strategic capabilities and intentions are under intense scrutiny by the international community.
