Putin’s ‘Doomsday’ Weapon: A Deep Dive into the 9M730 Burevestnik Missile

The 9M730 Burevestnik, a nuclear-powered cruise missile developed by Russia, is designed to carry a nuclear warhead and is capable of flying at extremely low altitudes while displaying high agility. The missile’s use of a nuclear reactor allows for an essentially unlimited range, with the ability to travel up to 20,000 km. The Burevestnik is engineered to avoid detection by radar and interceptor-based missile defenses through its low-flying profile and unpredictable flight paths. This weapon, similar in concept to the discontinued U.S. Project Pluto, is intended to act as a deterrent and influence global power dynamics. The missile is roughly the size of a Kh-101 but is 1.5 to 2 times larger, with a fuselage length of at least 12 meters and wings mounted on top.