NATO alarmed as Putin's new missile appears ready for use

2025-11-16 08:35:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Vladimir Putin's new superweapon, the Petrel, has apparently been finalized. The nuclear-capable missile is said to be able to stay in the air for hours, evade defense systems and pose a potentially serious threat.

This assessment is supported, at least in part, by Western intelligence analyses.

A fully operational Burevestnik would be a major problem for Europe. If Russia is indeed deploying the system, NATO will face a new and very difficult to control threat. According to a classified NATO document: The super-weapon is considered particularly worrisome. The document refers to a nuclear-powered cruise missile, the “Burewestnik” (“Petrel”), known to NATO as the SSC-X-9 Skyfall.

The document comes from the military alliance's intelligence department, according to Die Welt. It examines Russia's updated arsenal of strategic nuclear weapons.

Three weeks ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly announced the successful missile tests.

According to the NATO document, the missile can reach speeds of over 900 kilometers per hour. It is highly maneuverable, has a long range and can be launched from mobile platforms. This would allow it to follow long and circuitous routes and evade NATO air defenses. According to NATO, "existing challenges would be further exacerbated by the extreme range and maneuverability" of the missile.

The Burewestnik's most notable feature is its nuclear reactor. Unlike conventional cruise missiles (which are fueled by paraffin, synthetic or solid fuels and have only a limited range), this propulsion system uses nuclear energy, which theoretically gives the missile an almost unlimited range. This means that the Burewestnik can travel tens of thousands of kilometers without refueling, stay in the air for long periods of time, change course and attack targets from any direction. It can evade missile systems, even over the southern and polar regions where surveillance is minimal.

However, some experts point out that the cruise missile does not reach hypersonic speeds and therefore becomes more vulnerable the longer it stays in the air.

NATO experts are also examining a new mobile medium-range missile from Russia, the SS-X-28 Oreshnik. It was first tested in Ukraine in November 2024, but little is known about its technical details. Western experts are particularly concerned about the range of up to 5,500 kilometers and the possibility of equipping the warhead with various munitions, including nuclear ones.

The document says: “The ability to attack targets anywhere in Europe, combined with the high mobility of the launcher, ensures a high survivability rate. The lack of clarity regarding deployed nuclear warheads poses defensive challenges for NATO.” / CNA