Russia is developing a new type of missile capable of circling the world for years before a tactical nuclear attack, said a senior British Defense Intelligence official.
The missile, which was named 9M730 Burevestnik and was nicknamed “Skyfall” by Nato, is linked to the death of five scientists after an accident in Nyonoksa, in northeastern Russia, last year. This incident, which caused a radiation peak “a thousand times higher than the lethal”, was apparently caused by the explosion of the missile while it was being handled.
“Moscow is testing a subsonic nuclear-powered cruise missile system that has a global reach and would allow an attack from unexpected directions,” Lt. Gen. Jim Hockenhull of British Defense Intelligence revealed at a press conference.
Russian President Vladimir Putin guaranteed that the weapon is “a radically new type of weaponry” and that it has “unlimited range and maneuverability”. The weapon may be fully ready by 2025.
The big advantage, from a military point of view, is that it is able to fly around the Earth for years and fire a nuclear missile at any time.
Jim Hockenhall also noted that Russia has invested in submarines and other underwater capabilities, such as an unmanned vessel capable of “sending a nuclear payload to coastal targets, or even groups of transporters at sea”. In addition, it could also target undersea Internet cables.
The head of the Defense Intelligence Service declared that, although the Russian army is much smaller than during the Cold War, it cannot be underestimated, since the country has completely changed its strategy in relation to the war since then.
– –
