Russia is likely preparing new test of ’Burevestnik’ cruise missile equipped with nuclear warhead, - media
Russia is likely preparing once again to conduct a new test of the 9M730 ‘Burevestnik’ intercontinental cruise missile, which is powered by a nuclear reactor.
This is reported by The Insider, as relayed by Censor.NET.
The Kremlin’s preparations
It is reported that on 22–23 August, a second Il-976 SKIP (airborne command and measurement post) aircraft arrived at the Rogachovo airfield on Novaya Zemlya, as indicated by data from OSINT analysts at AviVector. The aircraft is used to track missile trajectories and collect telemetry during tests.
As Norwegian OSINT analyst Thor Are Iversen explained to The Insider, this may indicate preparations for a new test of the ‘Burevestnik’ intercontinental cruise missile equipped with a nuclear power plant (NPP).
According to OSINT analysts, two SKIP Il-976 aircraft arrived at the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the second half of August. In addition, an A-50U radar aircraft, four An-26 military transport aircraft, one An-74D and several helicopters were spotted at the Rogachevo airbase.
The Barents Observer notes that this may indicate the imminent start of new tests of the ‘Burevestnik’ missile, which is thought to be capable of leaving a radioactive trail during flight.
They also noted that groups of ships, which are typically used during missile tests – in particular for search operations – have been spotted in the Barents and Kara Seas.
Russia’s claims about the missile
- The Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has previously announced on several occasions that the ‘Burevisnik’ had been successfully tested; it is claimed that this aircraft has no range limitations due to its nuclear power plant.
- According to US intelligence and Western analysts, by 2019 there had been at least 13 missile tests, of which only two were considered partially successful. In the West, the ‘Burevestnik’ is referred to as a ‘mini flying Chornobyl’, and experts note that, for the time being, it poses a greater threat to Russian citizens than to adversaries abroad.
- The ‘Burevestnik’ is linked to an accident at the test site near Nyonoxa in the Arkhangelsk Region in August 2019. Five Rosatom employees were killed in the explosion. Two more people died later, presumably from acute radiation sickness. It was reported that they were members of the military.
In October 2025, Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, reported to Putin on the successful test flight of the "Burevisnik", which remained airborne for around 15 hours and covered a distance of 14,000 km. The Russian Ministry of Defence did not release any video footage of the missile’s flight. At that time, the Russian dictator ordered preparations to be made for the deployment of the "Burevisnik". Subsequently, Putin announced the completion of the missile’s trials.
