Tension Between Washington and Moscow
Trump: ‘We Are Right Off Russia’s Shores’ as Putin Boasts ‘Invincible’ Missile Test
Putin touts successful trial of nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile; Trump calls move “not appropriate” and urges focus on ending the war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday announced the successful test of the Burevestnik, a nuclear-powered, nuclear-capable cruise missile he once labeled “invincible.”
The Kremlin released footage of Putin in military fatigues overseeing the launch and instructing his top general to prepare the weapon for deployment.
“We need to determine the possible uses and begin preparing the infrastructure for deploying these weapons to our armed forces,” Putin said.
The Kremlin later clarified that the test occurred on October 21. Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said the missile flew for several hours over 14,000 kilometers, performing complex maneuvers designed to evade missile defenses. He described it as capable of striking “highly protected targets at any distance with guaranteed accuracy.”
Gerasimov also claimed no other nation possesses a comparable system, saying the missile is “undetectable by conventional radar” and can only be tracked by specialized satellites.
Trump’s Response
U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday, criticized the test as “not appropriate” given heightened U.S., Russia tensions and stalled peace talks over Ukraine.
“Putin ought to end the war, a war that should’ve taken one week and is now in its fourth year, instead of testing missiles,” Trump said.
He added that the United States routinely conducts its own missile tests:
“They are not playing games with us. We are not playing games with them either. We test missiles all the time. We are right of their shore, we don't need 8,000 miles”
Trump also reminded reporters that the U.S. maintains “the greatest nuclear submarine in the world, right off their shores.”