Putin appears ready to test new missile as he prepares for Trump talks, researchers say

Reuters Yahoo News ^ | 8/13/2025 | Jonathan Landay

[marcusmaximus]

Russia appears to be preparing to test its new nuclear-armed, nuclear-powered cruise missile, according to two U.S. researchers and a Western security source, even as Russian President Vladimir Putin readies for talks on Ukraine with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday.

Jeffrey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies, and Decker Eveleth of the CNA research and analysis organization, based in Virginia, reached their assessments separately by studying imagery taken in recent weeks until Tuesday by Planet Labs, a commercial satellite firm.

They agreed the photos showed extensive activity at the Pankovo test site on the Barents Sea archipelago of Novaya Zemlya, including increases in personnel and equipment and ships and aircraft associated with earlier tests of the 9M730 Burevestnik (Storm Petrel).

"We can see all of the activity at the test site, which is both huge amounts of supplies coming in to support operations and movement at the place where they actually launch the missile," Lewis said.

A Western security source, who asked not to be further identified, confirmed that Russia is preparing a Burevestnik test.

Lewis said a test could occur this week, raising the possibility it could overshadow the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska.

Asked for comment, the White House did not address the possibility of a Burevestnik test.

The Pentagon, the CIA, and Russia's Defense Ministry declined to comment.

Putin has said the weapon - dubbed the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by NATO - is "invincible" to current and future missile defenses, with an almost unlimited range and unpredictable flight path

[Zathras]

It uses a reactor to heat the compressed air instead of jet fuel. After that it functions exactly like a modern jet engine.
The USA built an experimental version back in the 50’s and placed it in a bomber.
We spent billions on it before it was finally abandoned.

[Carry_Okie]

I looked it up. It was called Project Pluto. The big problem appears to be launching it up to speed and regulating it until the cooling works controlling it thereafter was a problem. Now we have better controls to deal with the differences in air density and heat capacity produced by clouds and such on a predictive basis. So far, the Russians have had problems, but they also have some very capable engineers who know how to do a lot with a little. Time will tell.