Russia may be preparing to test nuclear-powered missile ahead of Trump talks, Reuters reports
Russia appears to be preparing to test its new nuclear-armed, nuclear-powered cruise missile just days before Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska, Reuters reported on Aug. 14, citing two U.S. researchers and an unnamed security source.
The talks scheduled for Aug. 15 between the two leaders will be the first face-to-face meeting since the start of Trump's second term.
Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and Decker Eveleth of the CNA research organization told Reuters that Planet Labs' satellite imagery taken in recent weeks shows extensive activity at the Pankovo test site on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic Ocean.
The imagery reportedly reveals equipment, personnel, ships, and aircraft associated with earlier tests of the 9M730 Burevestnik, known to NATO as the SSC-X-9 Skyfall.
The undisclosed Western security source confirmed to the outlet that Russia is preparing a Burevestnik test.
Lewis said a test could occur this week, potentially overshadowing the Aug. 15 meeting in Alaska, where Putin and Trump are expected to discuss Ukraine, economic cooperation, and global security.
The White House did not address the possibility of a missile test, and the Pentagon, CIA, and Russia's Defense Ministry declined to comment, according to Reuters.
Putin has previously described the Burevestnik as "invincible" to missile defenses, with an almost unlimited range and unpredictable flight path.
Analysts say the program has gained importance for Moscow since Trump announced plans in January to develop the Golden Dome U.S. missile defense shield, though experts question the missile's reliability and warn of potential radioactive fallout.
Reuters reported that Planet Labs imagery showed stacks of shipping containers, cranes, and a helicopter at the launch site, as well as two radar-equipped aircraft parked at Rogachevo military airfield in Novaya Zemlya since mid-July.
Vessel-tracking data also indicated a cargo ship linked to earlier tests was bound for Novaya Zemlya this week.
Norway's military told Reuters the Barents Sea is a "prime location for Russian missile tests" and noted indications of "preparations for test activities," without confirming the type of munitions. Notices to mariners and airmen suggest a possible launch window from Aug. 9 to Aug. 22.
The Burevestnik, described by the International Institute for Strategic Studies as a developmental nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed cruise missile, could give Russia a unique intercontinental-range strike capability if it overcomes significant technical hurdles, including a history of failed tests and a 2019 accident that killed several nuclear specialists.
Designed to fly at very low altitudes for up to 20,000 km (12,400 miles), the missile could evade air defenses and strike targets from anywhere in Russia.
