Burevestnik missile's versatility to ensure defense of Russia, its partners, expert says

Copyright tass

MOSCOW, October 27. /TASS/. The ability to deploy the Burevestnik high-accuracy cruise missile globally - whether on surface ships or mobile ground-based launchers - significantly enhances the sovereignty and security of Russia and its allies abroad, said Alexander Stepanov, a military expert at the Institute of Law and National Security of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), in an interview with TASS. Recognized for its versatility, the Burevestnik can be launched from various platforms and potentially deployed under joint agreements with international partners. "Such systems could be positioned not only within Russia but also in other regions worldwide," Stepanov explained. "This capability narrows the effective strike range of potential adversaries and provides additional means to safeguard the sovereignty of Russia and its allies - especially those facing external military threats." The missile is engineered to target and destroy underground command posts and strategic military command and control centers. Its formidable destructive power makes it an exceptionally dangerous and adaptable weapon. Open sources estimate its warhead yield at approximately one megaton - nearly fifty times the explosive force of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The Burevestnik’s stealth features, combined with its ability to follow complex trajectories at extremely low altitudes - up to 50 meters - render it virtually invulnerable and hard to detect. In the event of mass launches, such missiles could create a global zone of destruction, providing strategic-level coverage with pinpoint precision. On October 26, Russian Armed Forces Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported to Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin that the testing of the Burevestnik's unlimited-range cruise missile had been successfully completed. During these tests, the missile remained airborne for approximately 15 hours, covering an impressive 14,000 kilometers - a distance that, according to Gerasimov, is not the maximum potential. He emphasized that the missile executed all planned vertical and horizontal maneuvers, demonstrating its advanced capabilities to evade and penetrate anti-missile and air defense systems.