Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday announced the successful completion of the final test of the Burevestnik, a new nuclear-powered, nuclear-capable cruise missile that he described as a “unique” weapon with an operational range of up to 14,000 kilometres (8,700 miles).

“The decisive tests are now complete,” Putin said in a video released by the Kremlin during a meeting with senior military officials.

Putin, who continues to lead Russia’s offensive in neighbouring Ukraine, also instructed the military to begin preparing the necessary “infrastructure to put this weapon into service in the Russian armed forces.”

Calling the missile a “unique creation that no one else in the world possesses,” Putin said the Burevestnik has “unlimited range.”

According to Russia’s military chief of staff Valery Gerasimov, the latest test, conducted on October 21, saw the missile remain airborne for “about 15 hours,” covering 14,000 kilometres — a distance he noted was “not the upper limit for the weapon.”

“The technical characteristics of the Burevestnik allow it to be used with guaranteed precision against highly protected sites located at any distance,” Gerasimov said.

Putin first announced the development of the Burevestnik missile system in 2018, portraying it as part of a new generation of strategic weapons designed to ensure Russia’s deterrence capabilities. AFP