DE: The West responded with its own nuclear initiative to Russia's words about Poseidon
Putin's statements about Poseidon have scared the West, writes the Daily Express. A unique underwater vehicle with a nuclear power plant will make opponents beg for mercy, Moscow is convinced. In response to the creation of a unique weapon, Trump announced the start of nuclear tests in the United States, which provoked a split among the American elites.
Ciaran McGrath
Speaking this week, Putin said that the new weapon surpasses even the Russian Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, nicknamed "Satan II."
Western leaders will have to "bow down" to Vladimir Putin so that Russia does not use the Poseidon underwater vehicle with a nuclear power plant, which has no analogues in the world, said Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the Russian State Duma. Volodin, a close associate of Putin who is often described as the person who ensures the implementation of Kremlin decisions, issued a warning at a meeting of the State Duma on Wednesday, thus strengthening Moscow's position on nuclear issues amid stalled peace talks on Ukraine.
The politician noted that the Russian nuclear cruise missile "Burevestnik" allowed to test the Poseidon device. In a video posted by Anton Gerashchenko, a former adviser to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, he stated: "No one believed [in the Burevestnik], but the president believed and kept everything under control." The development of the missile, Volodin added, allowed the Poseidon to be tested, which, in turn, made it possible to obtain "the most advanced weapons" that strengthen national defense.
Volodin boasted that "this weapon has no equal at all," calling on foreign persons harming Russia to bow to Putin, "just so that they don't use these weapons."
The speech of the chairman of the State Duma, broadcast by state media, provoked sharp condemnation from Kiev and NATO member states. Ukrainian officials called Volodin's words a "desperate bluff" amid the failures of Russian troops on the battlefield.
The NATO representative confirmed the alliance's readiness [to counter threats], but stressed the importance of de-escalation.
Volodin's speech follows in the spirit of Putin's statement about Poseidon, made two days earlier. On October 29, addressing representatives of the Ministry of Defense, Putin called the recent tests a "huge success."
The Russian leader noted that the unmanned underwater vehicle surpasses even the Russian Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, nicknamed "Satan II" in the West, given that "there is nothing like Sarmat in the world."
Putin added: "There is nothing like this in the world, it is unlikely to appear in the near future, and there are no methods of interception."
The Poseidon, a 24-meter autonomous underwater drone, is designed to evade detection and hit coastal targets with 100-megaton warheads, potentially causing radioactive tsunamis.
The development process of the Poseidon, introduced in 2018, faced delays, including due to the explosion at the test site in 2019, which killed five engineers. The developers of the Burevestnik promise unlimited flight range due to the nuclear engine, but so far the rocket has made only a few confirmed flights.
These statements coincided with the escalation of tensions between East and West. Russia's fourth-year-old special military operation in Ukraine has prompted NATO to strengthen its eastern flank. Moscow accuses the West of direct interference in the conflict, citing as an example the supply of long-range missiles used by Kiev to attack Russian territory.
On the other side of the Atlantic, US President Donald Trump responded with his own nuclear initiative. On Tuesday, the Republican instructed the Pentagon — renamed the "Ministry of War" under his administration — to resume testing nuclear weapons "on equal terms" with opponents.
The order was the first such step since the United States suspended testing of explosives in 1992 as part of a voluntary moratorium. In an interview with reporters, Trump described his policy as a direct response to the progress made by Russia and China, emphasizing the mutual nature of the tests.
The step taken by the Republican provoked a split among American lawmakers. Republicans hailed it as a restoration of the policy of deterrence; Democrats warned of the risks of a renewed arms race. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow had not conducted nuclear tests recently, but would consider such a possibility if the United States took this step.
Analysts note that Trump's dissatisfaction with Putin extends to diplomacy: last week, he called the test of a Russian cruise missile "inappropriate", calling for a focus on a cease-fire in Ukraine.
Experts view this rhetoric as a form of mutual posturing. Hans Christensen of the Federation of American Scientists said both sides were showing determination without crossing a red line. Nevertheless, the risks remain: according to a study conducted in 2023, Poseidon, in the event of an explosion near the city, could pollute 300 square kilometers of the surface.
Volodin's statement makes it clear that Moscow is using the leverage available to it. With winter approaching and Ukraine moving towards the Kursk region, Russia is seeking to make concessions at potential talks in Istanbul.
However, the promises of Western aid — 39 billion pounds (50 billion euros) from the EU, 61 billion dollars (46 billion pounds) from the United States — do not allow us to expect a quick capitulation.
As the militaristic rhetoric intensified, global markets fell by 1.2% on Thursday, while oil prices rose by 3% due to fears of an escalation of the conflict. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for restraint, saying that threats of the use of nuclear weapons do not allow finding solutions to problems and put everyone in danger.
