Burevestnik Missile Will Force NATO to Rethink Position on Russia: Expert

The test of Russia's unlimited-range Burevestnik cruise missile is a warning to the West that any attack on Russian territory will meet a "disproportionate" response.

Rahul Wankhede, a Research Analyst at Indian military think-tank the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses spoke to Sputnik India.

"The Burevestnik test and the way and timing of its announcement are a clear strategic communication from Russia to its enemies that Moscow dominates the escalation ladder," Wankhede said. "should its adversaries use long-range cruise missiles like Tomahawk to target Russia, the response would be disproportionate."

Putin has reminded NATO that Russia has unconventional innovations in its arsenal, making the test a message to the West not to provoke Russia, he added.

But Russia will keep the Burevestnik in reserve, only to be used in extreme cases if an enemy missile strikes deep inside Russian territory, Wankhede argued

Retired Indian Air Force group captain Uttam Kumar Devnath told Sputnik the test showed Russia is now capable of producing miniature nuclear power plants which can be installed on a cruise missile, the first nation ever to do so.

During its flight test, the missile flew for 15 hours and covered a distance of 14,000 kilometres, allowing it to target any part of the world, the military veteran highlighted.

"Strategically speaking, the development will have a great influence on the way the US or NATO countries think about Russia," Devnath said.

"It gives a great amount of strategic depth to Russia's nuclear command as it can base the missile in any part of the nation, for instance, in Eastern Siberia or close to the Arctic Ocean and still hit America or other Western powers," he explained, meaning Russia can circumvent all existing US air and missile defence systems.

"Among the key characteristics of the Burevestnik are an evasive flight path and low-altitude flight, giving it a radar-evading power," Devnath stressed. "As it flies at a low level and changes its course often, the American or NATO air defence systems will fall flat in tracking and neutralising this weapon."

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