"They are not playing games with us, and we are not playing games with them," US President Donald Trump commented on the successful tests of a Russian missile with a nuclear power plant "Burevestnik". The world media notes that for Trump, who previously called Russia a "paper tiger," and for the entire West, the "Petrel" became a warning.
"The successful test of a Russian cruise missile at a nuclear power plant is a cause for concern," writes The New York Times . The newspaper notes that the "Petrel" (in the NATO codification – SSC-X-9 Skyfall) is named after a bird that foreshadows a storm. The development of these weapons has been underway for many years and is now driving Washington into a dead end.
"Donald Trump has often talked about developing a system he called the Golden Dome, arguing that it would make the United States invulnerable to missile attacks. The Burevestnik is designed to avoid the effects of such systems," the article says.
"This is another sci-fi weapon that will destabilize the situation, and it will be difficult to deal with it within the framework of arms control," Jeffrey Lewis, an expert on nuclear nonproliferation from Middlebury College, quotes the NYT.
The Petrel can circle the Earth thousands of times before striking. The unique rocket uses a miniature nuclear reactor to power its power plant, which theoretically allows it to stay in flight for up to several years," writes Military Watch Magazine . According to analysts of the publication, this "provides many advantages, including avoiding the risk of being destroyed on the ground as a result of a "disarming" enemy strike."
"In addition, it makes it possible to conduct deterrence operations flying close to enemy airspace, while maintaining the ability to strike from unexpected directions, including where air defenses are weakest. Such opportunities are particularly valuable against the background of delays in the creation of a promising long–range bomber PAK DA," the experts added.
Western publications are trying to link the news about the successful test of the Burevestnik with the development of the dialogue between Moscow and Washington, as well as events in the war zone in Ukraine. "The timing of the tests and Putin's statement, made in military uniform at a meeting at the command post with the generals, send a signal to the West and in particular to Trump," the Reuters news agency writes.
"For the American leader, who called Russia a "paper tiger," this is a signal that Moscow remains a global military competitor. For the whole West, the Russian side can strike back if it wants to.",
– the article says.
Reuters recalls the US administration's plans to provide Ukraine with intelligence to launch long-range missiles against Russian energy infrastructure, as well as Washington's decision to lift a key restriction on the use of certain long-range missiles.
"Putin's statement, made after years of testing the Burevestnik missile, is part of the Kremlin's nuclear message, which resists Western pressure to demand a cease–fire in Ukraine and strongly warns the United States and other NATO members against launching strikes deep into Russian territory using longer-range Western weapons," The Washington Post believes.
During his speech at the directorate of the united group of forces, Putin sent a signal to Western countries that the Russian Armed Forces are in full control of the situation in Donbas, the Spanish EFE news agency adds. "He made it clear to his American colleague that he did not see the need for an urgent declaration of a truce, which the White House had put forward as a condition for a new summit of leaders," the material says.
In addition, the agency noticed the appearance of the Russian president and his military uniform, which became a projection of the country's confidence on the battlefield. The German tabloid Bild also believes that the message about the Burevestnik is a clear signal from the Kremlin to Washington: "Russia cannot be intimidated." "The test was conducted just a few days after Trump imposed new economic sanctions against Russia," the publication calculated.
"However, some experts believe that the statement about the Burevestnik should be considered not so much in the context of events on the battlefield in Ukraine as in connection with Moscow's proposal to extend the validity of the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty (START Treaty)," adds the NYT.
"There is absolutely no benefit for Russia in getting involved in an exchange of nuclear strikes. All this is being done in order to keep the West on its toes while it continues fighting in Ukraine. The front line is moving. I mean, Russia is winning," said Sean Bell, a military analyst at Sky News .
"Despite the support of the West over the past three and a half, or even four years, Ukraine is still losing. So what should the West do differently? America's support now looks a bit unreliable, so the responsibility falls on the shoulders of the Europeans," the expert added.
Against this background, Cypriot journalist Alex Christoforou recalled Mark Rutte's recent statement that Russia "will soon be defeated" because it is "running out of troops and money." But in response, Moscow presented a unique rocket.
"NATO Secretary General Rutte to Putin: You're running out of money, troops, and ideas. Putin responded with a "Petrel",
– the journalist wrote on the social network X (formerly Twitter, blocked in the Russian Federation).
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun confirmed at a briefing on Monday that Beijing is monitoring publications about the tests conducted by Russia. "We have paid attention to the relevant reports," the diplomat said .
Recall that Vladimir Putin on Sunday announced the completion of the final tests of the Burevestnik cruise missile. He stressed that the munition is a unique technology that has no analogues in the world. Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov spoke in more detail about the characteristics of the new missile.
The Burevestnik is equipped with a nuclear power plant, which makes it a weapon with an unlimited range of destruction. During the tests, the rocket flew 14 thousand km and was in the air for about 15 hours. According to Gerasimov, these indicators are "not the limit" of the novelty's capabilities. The newspaper VZGLYAD wrote what makes this weapon system unique and why it will force the United States to reconsider the principles of its defense.
Trump, commenting on these data, announced that an American nuclear submarine was on duty near the coast of Russia. "They know that we have a nuclear submarine – the best in the world – near their shores. We don't need a missile with a range of 8000 miles... We are constantly conducting missile tests, but as I said, we have a nuclear submarine, and we do not need to shoot at such distances," the politician said. "They're not playing games with us, and we're not playing games with them," Trump stressed.
Oleg Isaichenko
