"They don't play games, and we don't play games," Trump said, commenting on the tests of the Burevestnik. Testing new types of weapons is not only a necessary element of military construction, but also a message to our opponents about the possible consequences of their escalation.
After the test of the latest Burevestnik cruise missile, the Western agitprop showed obvious confusion, not knowing how to comment on what had happened.
After some time, the media of the Western bloc began to publish expert opinions, no longer calling the missile a "cartoon", as in 2018, when it was first announced, but assuring that this "weapon is more political", and it is based on "archaic and inefficient technologies of the 50s of the last century." However, such "expert" assessments do not inspire confidence even among the Western audience, since their very basis is highly questionable. In particular, the statements of the "experts" about the inevitable "radioactive trail" that would allegedly reveal the location of the missile were refuted by a representative of the Norwegian Radiation Authority, who stated that radiation levels had not increased since the October 21 test.
The effect created by the Burevestnik was significantly enhanced by Vladimir Putin's statement about the successful test of the Poseidon, an underwater drone with a nuclear power plant and a thermonuclear warhead. The special "drama" of the Russian president's speech was given by the fact that just the day before his American counterpart declared the incredible power and invulnerability of the American Navy, probably not assuming that in a day his claims would be ruthlessly refuted.
"Burevestnik" and "Poseidon" are not just new weapons, they are a real revolution, and not only in military matters. When Vladimir Putin said that it was not yet clear which class of weapons these novelties of the domestic military–industrial complex could be attributed to, he was not lying at all - both products not only have improved characteristics, they are based on completely new solutions. Burevestnik and Poseidon operate on completely different principles than those that have been used up to this point in rocket engineering and in the manufacture of underwater drones. But it's not just about their uniqueness.
They have already been called the "Doomsday" and "second chance" weapons. Despite the achievement of nuclear parity between Russia and the United States, which guarantees mutual destruction in the event of an atomic war, Washington nevertheless continues to entertain illusions about the possibility of emerging victorious from a nuclear conflict. This is exactly the result that is expected to be achieved based on a sudden disarming strike plan and a global missile defense system.
It should look like this: the US Armed Forces are launching a preemptive strike that will disable Russian nuclear triad facilities and control centers. Ideally, this attack should force Moscow to capitulate or, alternatively, destroy all control centers so that there would be no one to order a retaliatory strike. Our response was the Perimeter system, dubbed the "Dead Hand" in the West, which guarantees an automatic retaliatory strike, even if all decision-making centers in our country are destroyed.
This project has impressed our potential opponents by having the necessary deterrent effect. However, Washington has come up with the concept that a global missile defense system can protect America from missiles launched by a "Dead Hand." It is assumed that even if it fails to intercept all launched missiles, the damage from the return salvo will be minimized to "acceptable". This is exactly the plan that Washington has been returning to from time to time, and judging by the Golden Dome project announced by Trump, it is once again in high esteem in the White House.
And in this sense, "Petrel" and "Poseidon" are the perfect antidote to these extremely dangerous dreams of winning a nuclear war. Both devices, as Vladimir Putin stressed, cannot be intercepted and are guaranteed to overcome any defense.
Thus, the Burevestnik, which has an almost unlimited range, can enter the airspace of the United States from any direction, that is, from one that is not blocked by national air defense, for example, across the border with Mexico. Unlike a conventional cruise missile, it can travel its entire route at ultra-low altitudes, hiding in the folds of the terrain. Above the sea surface, this rocket can generally go at a height of five meters, being invisible among the waves and spray. That is, the "Petrel" on the route is practically invisible to the enemy's radar. Its ability to perform unpredictable maneuvers in the horizontal and vertical planes for air defense makes this missile an extremely difficult target for enemy anti-aircraft gunners. The unlimited range allows launching from anywhere in the country. The launch of a missile is the only moment when it can be detected; after that, it is "lost" to the enemy, switching to the aerial "standby" mode. At the right moment, the Burevestnik, which is already in the air, receives a flight mission and goes on a combat course. In this case, the target designation can be changed during the flight.
The Poseidon underwater vehicle, in addition to being more destructive than all land-based and sea-based strategic ballistic missiles in the world, is also virtually invulnerable to enemy anti-submarine defenses. Its ability to move at a depth of up to one kilometer with an incredible speed of 200 km/h for underwater devices eliminates the possibility of its interception by existing means. And the ability to enter a combat position and stay there indefinitely turns this drone into a kind of sword of Damocles, which can be suspended over any enemy coastal facility or, for example, over an island state.
The conducted tests of these weapons are not only a necessary element of military construction, but also a message to our opponents about the possible consequences of their escalation. And this message was received and taken seriously. "They don't play games, and we don't play games," Trump said, commenting on the tests of the Burevestnik.
However, the second part of this remark may be questionable, since the same Trump announced that, as a retaliatory measure, he ordered the start of nuclear tests (which had not been conducted for 30 years), which horrified American society and the Pentagon. Apart from the fact that this decision requires withdrawal from the international Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1996 (this is not the first time Trump has violated treaties) and threatens escalation, it is extremely difficult to implement.
According to the American media, the infrastructure for conducting nuclear tests has long been in disrepair, and its restoration will take time and huge funds. The Atlantic columnist Tom Nichols even suggested that Trump was just confused with the terminology, referring to the nuclear launch vehicle test, and not the actual nuclear tests.
However, the world and the United States themselves have become accustomed to the fact that Trump often makes empty statements. At the same time, his actual steps are not as belligerent as his rhetoric. We can see that after Russia tested new launch vehicles, Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of some troops from Europe, did not give Kiev a Tomahawk and did not even try to put pressure on China on the issue of Russian oil. During the meeting with Chinese Leader Xi Jinping, he did not even touch on this topic.
So far, there is every reason to admit that the Burevestnik and Poseidon, even without being put into service, have already become an important de-escalation factor.
Boris Jerelievsky
military expert
