Trump comments on the launch of the Russian Burevestnik missile: American nuclear submarines are close to the Russian coast, and there is no need for long-range missiles
Arab Defense Website – October 28, 2025: US President Donald Trump’s response to Russia’s launch of the 9M730 Burevestnik missile (Western designation: SSC-X-9 Skyfall), which is said to have an unlimited range thanks to its built-in nuclear propulsion system, was firm but highlights US nuclear superiority in the region.
Trump said that the missile launch was inappropriate by Russia amid escalating tensions between Moscow and Washington, stressing that Russian President Vladimir Putin should focus on ending the war in Ukraine instead of testing missiles.
When asked by reporters aboard presidential flight Air Force One on Monday, Trump confirmed that the United States possesses nuclear submarines near the Russian coast. He added: “The United States has nuclear submarines off their coast, and they don’t need to travel far. We test missiles all the time.”
The previous day, during a meeting with senior Russian generals wearing military uniform, Putin praised the Burevestnik missile as a unique achievement, saying:
“This is a truly unique weapon, which no other country in the world possesses.” He ordered preparations to build the necessary infrastructure to introduce it into military service.
Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, informed Putin that the test took place on Tuesday, with the Burevestnik missile traveling about 8,700 miles (14,000 km) within 15 hours.
Sergei Ryabkov, a close aide to Putin, told Russian media that Moscow had informed the United States in advance about the planned test.
Russia first unveiled the Burevestnik missile in 2018, claiming that it had a nearly unlimited range and could evade American missile defenses. Putin said at the time:
“No one wants to listen to us. Listen now.”
But the missile faced criticism after a botched test in the Arctic in 2019 led to an explosion that killed at least five scientists.
Contrary to Putin’s statements, a nuclear non-proliferation expert from the Middlebury Institute in Monterey, California, said that the Burevestnik missile is not invincible, explaining that NATO aircraft may intercept it, and added: “The problem is that Burevestnik represents another step in an arms race that brings no benefit to either party.”
Last week, Putin supervised exercises for Russian strategic nuclear forces, which included missile launch tests, and warned of a severe, even devastating, response if Ukraine launched additional attacks inside Russia using Western missiles.
Sergei Karaganov, an influential foreign policy analyst and hardliner, said that these exercises were a rehearsal for a first strike, as punishment in the event of continued aggression against Russia.
Relations between Putin and Trump deteriorated after the US government announced last Wednesday sudden sanctions on Russia’s largest oil producers and nearly thirty companies affiliated with them.
The article Trump comments on the launch of the Russian Burevestnik missile: American nuclear submarines are close to the Russian coast, and there is no need for long-range missiles appeared first on the Arab Defense website.
