Putin announces successful Poseidon drone test while meeting servicemen

Russia has successfully tested the Poseidon underwater drone equipped with a nuclear power unit, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

He made the remarks during a visit to the Central Military Clinical Hospital, where he met with wounded servicemen, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

Putin described the test as a “tremendous success,” noting that Poseidon’s power output far exceeds that of the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, which will soon enter combat duty.

He said there are no analogues to the Poseidon in the world in terms of speed and operating depth, adding that it cannot be intercepted.

The Russian leader also stated that the nuclear propulsion system of the Burevestnik cruise missile is 1,000 times smaller than the reactor used in a nuclear submarine while providing comparable power. He said the technologies developed for the Burevestnik would be applied in Russia’s lunar programme.

The Burevestnik is a Russian intercontinental cruise missile powered by a compact nuclear engine, giving it an almost unlimited flight range. This feature enables it to bypass existing missile-defence systems and approach targets from unpredictable directions.

Speaking about the situation on the front line, Putin noted that Russian forces have surrounded enemy troops in Kupyansk and Krasnoarmeysk, effectively blocking their positions.

Putin said that Russia was concerned about possible provocations from the Ukrainian side while journalists were present in the area where enemy forces were encircled.

“We are ready to suspend combat operations for a certain period — for two, three, or six hours — so that groups of journalists can enter these settlements, see what is happening there, speak with Ukrainian servicemen, and then leave,” the president added.

By Jeyhun Aghazada