What is the truth about the “Skyfall” or “Burevestnik” missile?

Technically, Burevestnik is one of the most interesting missile systems in the world. But otherwise, that missile is less advanced or less powerful than the Russians claim. The only thing that makes this kind of missile a hard target for defenders is its nuclear reactor. If a nuclear reactor is damaged, that system will deliver nuclear fuel, which can be highly enriched plutonium, into the falling area. This missile is otherwise one of the subsonic missiles. 

The nuclear reactor of Buresvestnik. 

The speed of that missile is maybe 800-1350 km/h, which makes it much slower than the 1950s Ling-Temco-Vought Supersonic Low Altitude Missile (SLAM), or “Project Pluto”. The SLAM missile speed was Mach 3+, and its range was also unlimited. The problem was the pollution line that followed that missile. The SLAM used an open reactor, which allowed air to flow through it. This caused a situation in the nuclear reactor. The radioactive core impacted with air. That caused a situation. That radioactive cloud followed that missile. 

The SLAM missile cutaway. 

That means Burvetnik is maybe a little bit worse than the “Project Pluto” from the 1950s. The Burvestnik should also pull the radioactive particle line behind it. The only difficult thing. With the defense against the Burevestnik missile. This is how to deny radioactive material. Spread around the area if that kind of missile is shot down. But anyway, those kinds of systems are similar to other subsonic cruise missiles. 

http://www.astronautix.com/s/slam.html

http://bisbos.com/air_missiles_pluto.html

https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/Putin-Confirms-Russias-Successful-Test-of-9M730-Burevestnik--The-Skyfall-Nuclear-Powered-Cruise-Missile-with-Unlimited-Range/

https://www.twz.com/nuclear/skyfall-nuclear-powered-cruise-missile-long-range-test-claimed-by-russia

Russia confirms the successful test of a nuclear-powered cruise missile.

Vladimir Putin and media sources confirm the successful test of the Russian 9M730 Burevestnik. Or Skyfall missile. The missile itself uses a miniature nuclear reactor to give thrust. Nuclear power makes the system operate for months in the atmosphere. The missile can have the ability to travel outside the atmosphere. The Burevestnik missile is one of the new ideas that Vladimir Putin and his general staff can use to break and frighten Western opponents. The size of the Burevestnik missile is quite small. That system can be transported using submarines. Intercontinental ballistic missiles. Or by using aircraft. The Tu-160. But probably also Tu-95. It can act as an airborne launching platform. 

The biggest problem with defense against the Burevestnik missile is. The missile’s nuclear reactor. 

If that miniature reactor breaks, the system will spread its radioactive components to the atmosphere and ground. The Burevestnik is only one of the new weapons that Russia is developing. And maybe there will be something more interesting. Maybe the Russians are planning. To make a nuclear-powered version of the Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack bomber. And those systems are more frightening than the Burevestnik missile can ever be. Nuclear-powered shuttles can travel between Earth and the Moon, and they can also make interstellar travel possible. The Burevestnik missile. It is one of the examples. This introduces the world to what Putin’s biggest advantages are.

"A screenshot shows testing of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile, taken from a Russian Defense Ministry video released in 2018. Russian Ministry of Defense" (EurAsianTimes, 

If we compare his position to the West. There were nuclear-powered missile projects in the 1950s and 1960s. Same way. They were tested. Nuclear-powered aircraft like the nuclear-powered Tu-95LAL. The nuclear-powered variant of the Tu-95 “Bear” and nuclear-powered NB-36 bomber, which was the nuclear-powered variant of the B-36”Peacemaker. The Project Pluto. Or SLAM (Supersonic, Low-Flying missile). It was one of the most advanced systems that was developed. The SLAM missile could leave the pollution line behind it in the atmosphere. That caused the risk. Of large-scale pollution. In some variants, the system could use hydrogen as the propellant. 

Hydrogen will not become highly radioactive even if it travels through the reactor. The Burevestnik uses a compressor system that separates the nuclear fuel from the air. But it is also possible that this missile has an attack mode that turns the nuclear reactor into a Ramjet engine. The iris can close the airflow from the compressor, and then the system starts to deliver air into the reactor. From some other vents. This means that. The Burevestnik can have. Cruise and attack modes. 

The SLAM and other nuclear-powered rocket projects were terminated because of public pressure. The attitude against nuclear weapons and nuclear power was very resistant. People are afraid of pollution. And that was the reason why those promising systems terminated in the West. But people like Putin must not care about public opinion. The Burevestnik, or Skyfall missile. Uses more modern technology. And that means this kind of weapon has a very big potential to create nuclear-powered shuttles and other nuclear systems. 

https://defence-industry.eu/russia-confirms-successful-test-of-nuclear-powered-nuclear-armed-burevestnik-cruise-missile/

https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app4/slam.html

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/russia-tests-new-nuclear-powered-burevestnik-cruise-missile/articleshow/124824724.cms

https://www.eurasiantimes.com/russia-fires-worlds-1st-nuke-powered-cruise-missile-burevestnik/

https://nationalsecurityjournal.org/russias-mach-2-tu-160-blackjack-bomber-fastest-and-heaviest-on-earth/

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/what-is-russias-burevestnik-missile-2025-10-26/

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/russia-tested-new-nuclear-powered-cruise-missile-top-general-says-2025-10-26/

https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3330366/putin-russias-new-nuclear-powered-missile-can-evade-any-defence

https://united24media.com/latest-news/russia-tests-unlimitedrange-burevestnik-nuclear-missile-heres-what-we-know-12821

https://warhistory.org/@msw/article/ltv-slam-project-pluto

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9M730_Burevestnik

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_B-36_Peacemaker

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_NB-36H

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Pluto

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supersonic_Low_Altitude_Missile

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_Tu-95

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_Tu-95LAL

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_Tu-160