Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that his authorities has finalized testing of a brand new nuclear weapon and a nuclear-powered car he claims would give his nation a serious tactical benefit.
Whereas these weapons would look like severe threats because of their vary and skill to evade defenses, consultants who’ve studied Russia’s nuclear energy informed ABC Information that there are questions on their capabilities.
On this pool {photograph} distributed by the Russian state company Sputnik, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin meets with Governor of the Yamalo-Nenets Area in Moscow on October 28, 2025.
Alexander Kazakov/POOL/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
“There’s no impartial verification of the assessments or the precise efficiency of those weapons. Russia has pursued these applied sciences for years with little success,” Georgia Cole, a analysis analyst for the UK-based suppose tank Chatham Home’s Worldwide Safety Programme informed ABC Information by way of e-mail.
Whereas Putin’s pronouncements have gained the eye of the West, consultants say there’s little proof up to now that the Russian authorities is making an attempt any severe escalation past Putin’s rhetoric.
The nuclear arms race between Russia and the West got here again into the highlight Monday when Putin introduced his authorities efficiently examined a nuclear-powered cruise missile dubbed the Burevestnik.
“It’s designed to fly at a low altitude, carry out sophisticated and unpredictable maneuvers, and doubtlessly evade missile defenses,” Cole stated, reiterating that none of that has been confirmed outdoors of Russian reviews.
Throughout a go to to a navy hospital on Wednesday, Putin informed reporters that his navy has additionally examined an unmanned nuclear-powered submarine, dubbed the Poseidon, that may carry a nuclear payload. Cole stated Russian reviews point out that the sub’s payload may very well be succesful, “in principle, of triggering an enormous tsunami.”
Russia’s Poseidon nuclear-capable system is seen on this nonetheless picture taken from an animated video launched on July 19, 2018.
Russian Defence Ministry by way of Reuters
These weapons have been out within the open for a few years, and international coverage and arms consultants have been watching their progress, together with some notable failures.
The Burevestnik was first unveiled in 2018 together with numerous different programs Putin touted as tremendous weapons. In 2019, one exploded on a launch pad throughout a take a look at in Russia’s Arctic, killing a minimum of 5 scientists and triggering alarms over nuclear contamination, which was detected by European sensors.
Dani Belo, an Assistant Professor of Worldwide Relations and Safety, who has studied Russian nuclear coverage, informed ABC Information that the most recent bulletins by Putin are one other instance of the Russian authorities’s “saber rattling.”
Belo stated Putin has commonly taken navy assessments to indicate the world the Russian authorities remains to be a powerful drive to be feared and enhance its first strike capabilities.
He famous that the timing of the assessments come as President Donald Trump visited with a number of Asian leaders, together with key Putin ally Chinese President Xi Jinping .
“Russia is doing this now to indicate it’s nonetheless appearing independently within the case these partnerships are compromised,” Belo stated.
Belo agreed that it’s extremely unlikely that Putin intends to make use of these weapons in opposition to the West or Ukraine, as he and Russian officers are more likely to comply with the logic of “mutually assured destruction.”
“If these weapons are used there will probably be retaliation, as a result of these weapons don’t have the ability to fully destroy an enemy nation,” he stated. “Putin is aware of that effectively.”
Cole agreed.
“These strikes are greatest understood as coercive signaling: makes an attempt to achieve leverage in negotiations or to push again in opposition to Western stress, moderately than a prelude to precise use,” she stated.
Trump, nevertheless, has responded to the assessments and stated in a social media that had ordered the Pentagon to renew nuclear testing on an “equal foundation” to different nations’ testing packages, which he stated would start “instantly.”
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Pressure One shortly after taking off from Busan, South Korea, en path to Joint Base Andrews, Md., Oct. 30, 2025.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
The U.S. has “noticed a voluntary moratorium on nuclear explosive testing since 1992,” based on the Congressional Analysis Service, although it has maintained the flexibility to renew the assessments.
Cole stated that Trump’s rhetoric is regarding as a result of it “blurs an important distinction,” with regard to different nations’ nuclear testing.
“Russia’s alleged assessments contain supply programs succesful of carrying nuclear warheads – not nuclear detonations themselves,” she stated.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen previous to diving to the underside of the Gulf of Finland aboard of C-Explorer 3.11 Submersible to discover the Soviet Shchuka-class submarine Shch-308 sunken throughout World Struggle II close to the Island of Gogland on July 27, 2019 in Moscow, Russia.
Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Pictures
Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Peskov echoed that in an announcement Thursday.
“All nations are creating their protection programs. This isn’t a nuclear take a look at,” he stated.
Cole stated that Trump wanted to offer extra readability on what he’s calling for in his order.
“His use of the phrase ‘nuclear assessments’ suggests precise nuclear detonations, whereas the decision for assessments ‘on an equal foundation’ to Russia and China could be assessments of nuclear weapons supply programs. It is a main distinction, and clarification by the administration is urgently wanted,” she stated.
-ABC Information’ Patrick Reevell, Will Gretsky, Tanya Stukalova and Anna Sergeeva contributed to this report.
