Russia has successfully tested a new atomic-powered, nuclear-capable underwater drone, President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday, claiming that the weapon is impossible to intercept. Putin's statement comes just three days after he lauded the successful test of a nuclear-powered cruise missile, Burevestnik, underscoring Moscow's push to showcase its advanced strategic capabilities.
The announcement is widely seen as another message to US President Donald Trump that Russia is standing firm in its maximalist demands on Ukraine.
Poseidon is unmatched in speed and depth: Putin
Speaking at a meeting with soldiers wounded in Ukraine, Putin said the Poseidon drone was tested while running on nuclear power for the first time Tuesday, describing it as a "huge success." Poseidon is unmatched in speed and depth, he said, and "there is no way to intercept it."
He said the nuclear reactor that powers Poseidon is "100 times smaller" than those on submarines, and the power of its nuclear warhead is "significantly higher than that of our prospective Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile."
Putin first mentioned the nuclear-powered underwater drone, Poseidon, during his 2018 state-of-the-nation address, alongside several other next-generation strategic weapons.
Russian media have reported that Poseidon is engineered to detonate near enemy coastlines, triggering a massive radioactive tsunami capable of devastating coastal infrastructure.
In his remarks on Wednesday, Putin confirmed that the latest test marked the first time Poseidon operated using its nuclear propulsion system. However, he did not disclose where the trials took place or provide additional technical details about the test.
Know all about Poseidon
The Poseidon, also known by its development name Status-6 and NATO codename Kanyon, is a nuclear-powered, nuclear-capable unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). Often described as an autonomous underwater drone or "super-torpedo," it is engineered to operate at extreme depths and cover vast distances, well beyond the reach of existing missile defense systems.
According to Russian state media and defense analysts, Poseidon can carry a massive nuclear warhead capable of creating radioactive tsunamis that could devastate and render coastal regions uninhabitable. It is launched from specially modified submarines such as the K-329 Belgorod and powered by a miniaturized nuclear reactor, giving it virtually unlimited range and endurance.
A May 2022 report by the US Naval Institute described Poseidon as a weapon that "has the potential to be both strategic and tactical" and noted that it falls outside the parameters of the New START treaty, making it a gray-area weapon in international arms control frameworks.
Back in 2019, Moscow had announced plans to deploy up to 32 Poseidons on combat duty, though the timeline remains uncertain, likely delayed by material and logistical challenges following the Ukraine war.
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