Russia tests new nuclear-powered missile, which Putin calls ‘invincible weapon’

Russia tested its new nuclear missile Burevestnik, capable of evading any defense system, the Russian government reported. The weapon is called 9M730 Burevestnik, which means ‘petrel,’ a type of seabird, and was nicknamed SSC-X-9 Skyfall by NATO.
The missile traveled 14,000 km and stayed in the air for about 15 hours when tested on October 21. Russian President Vladimir Putin described the weapon as invincible and said, ‘It is a unique product that no one else in the world has.’
He also reaffirmed that, although some Russian experts had said it was unlikely that the weapon would be made, ‘the crucial tests [were completed].’
Finally, Putin told the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, that the government needs to understand what infrastructure is necessary to complete the missile’s implementation and how the weapon should be classified.
‘The strategic forces can guarantee the national security of the Russian Federation and the Union State completely,’ said Putin.
Russia and the United States together hold about 87% of the global stockpile of nuclear weapons — enough to destroy the world multiple times. Russia has 5,459 nuclear warheads, while the United States has 5,177, according to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS).