Just days after it was revealed that Russia had conducted tests with its new Burevestnik missiles—marking a trend of nuclear-powered weapons trials that has raised international alarms—President Vladimir Putin also recently hinted that his country has carried out a new test with the feared Poseidon nuclear-powered unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) without notifying the United States. As reported in 2023, the Kremlin maintains that treaties requiring the exchange of notifications for intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) tests do not apply to weapons such as the Poseidon, further fueling Western suspicions.
Referring to the tests conducted with the Poseidon, also known as 2M39 Status-6, the Russian president stated during a meeting with wounded soldiers at a hospital in Moscow: “For the first time, we managed not only to launch it with a booster engine from a carrier submarine, but also to activate the nuclear power unit in which this device remained operational for a set period of time (…) The power of the Poseidon significantly exceeds even that of our most advanced intercontinental missile, the Sarmat.”
In a later segment of his remarks, President Putin emphasized that the Poseidon represents an entirely different design approach: although capable of carrying nuclear warheads, it is not a large ballistic missile but rather a UUV system with the size and shape of a torpedo. According to his own words, this constitutes a considerable success, as it provides Russia with a highly destructive weapon of compact dimensions—making it much harder to detect by enemy defenses.
Although detailed technical data have not been released through official sources, previous reports from Russian media have speculated that each Poseidon measures around 20 meters in length, with an approximate diameter of 1.8 meters and a weight of roughly 110 tons. Analysts have suggested that its range could reach 10,000 kilometers, with a maximum speed of up to 100 knots—though Western experts consider this figure likely exaggerated. Additionally, it is believed that each unit is equipped with a liquid-metal cooling system for its nuclear reactor, and that it can carry a warhead with a yield of around two megatons.
The available information indicates that this weapon has been designed specifically for surprise attacks on enemy coastal infrastructure. Some analysts have speculated that a single detonation could trigger a massive underwater explosion capable of generating a highly destructive tsunami—compounded by the radioactive contamination of its nuclear warhead, which would cause additional long-term damage. Given its relatively small size, it is argued that this could be a weapon virtually impossible to intercept with current defensive systems, providing Russia with a significant strategic advantage in the event of nuclear conflict.
Finally, considering the broader geopolitical context, these tests appear to have taken place amid increasing tensions between Moscow and Washington. The U.S. government, under President Donald Trump, has adopted a tougher stance toward Russia amid the deadlock in peace negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine—something that has drawn Trump’s public frustration and prompted new rounds of sanctions against Moscow. The fact that Russia tested both the Burevestnik and the Poseidon within days of each other clearly signals that the Kremlin remains unfazed by Western pressure, relying on its strategic arsenal to reinforce its status as a global power.
Images used for illustrative purposes only
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