Russia has successfully tested a nuclear-capable, nuclear-powered underwater drone known as Poseidon, President Vladimir Putin announced on October 29th. The test marks Moscow’s second trial of a new nuclear weapons system in less than a week.
During a visit to a military hospital treating soldiers wounded in Ukraine, Putin said the drone—which carries a nuclear propulsion unit—cannot be intercepted and can operate at depths greater than one kilometre while reaching speeds of up to 70 knots.
Putin said no country could match Poseidon’s speed and diving depth, adding, “it is unlikely that anything similar will appear in the near future.”
The announcement follows Sunday’s test of the Burevestnik cruise missile, another nuclear-capable system said to have “unlimited range.” U.S. president Donald Trump had called that exercise “not appropriate”.
According to Russian state news agency TASS, the Poseidon drone was first tested in 2018 and can carry a nuclear warhead of up to two megatons. It is designed to strike targets across continents while remaining largely undetectable.
Tensions between Moscow and Washington have recently intensified. The United States last week imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, citing a lack of progress in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine. A planned summit between Trump and Putin in Budapest was also cancelled after the U.S. president said he did not want to take part in a “wasted” meeting.
