Overview
- Vladimir Putin said the Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle was launched from a submarine and ran on its nuclear propulsion for the first time, offering no test location or independent verification.
- Putin asserted the system cannot be intercepted and claimed its destructive power surpasses the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, while touting a reactor he said is 100 times smaller than a submarine’s.
- Russian state-linked reporting has described Poseidon’s notional performance at roughly one kilometer depth and 60–70 knots, capabilities that remain unconfirmed in the public record.
- The announcement follows Russia’s recent claim of a successful nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile test, which officials said flew 14,000 kilometers over 15 hours.
- President Donald Trump criticized Russia’s demonstrations and directed the Pentagon to begin U.S. nuclear weapons testing “immediately,” a sharp shift from the U.S. explosive testing moratorium in place since 1992 with operational details still unclear.