Russian Burevestnik nuclear missile reportedly releases radioactive particles into the air

©picture alliance / Picvario Media | Roman Naumov

Scientists warn that Russia’s nuclear Burevestnik missile could release radioactive particles into the air. According to a new analysis by two researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the cruise missile likely uses an open-cycle nuclear propulsion system, in which outside air flows directly through the reactor core and is expelled as thrust. This is reported by the Times of India.

The Burevestnik, known in NATO terminology as the SSC-X-9 Skyfall, was presented by Vladimir Putin in 2018 as one of Russia’s so-called “superweapons.” The weapon is said to have a virtually unlimited range, but that ambitious claim comes with a serious downside: during flight, the engine appears to release radioactive isotopes such as argon, krypton, and carbon into the atmosphere.

Researchers Jake Hecla and R. Scott Kemp base their conclusion on publicly available images and performance data. They argue that the design “almost certainly” amounts to a direct-cycle air-breathing nuclear propulsion system, likely coupled with a turbojet. In such a system, air is drawn in from the outside, passed through the reactor, heated by nuclear fission, and then expelled backward to propel the rocket.

According to the study, it is precisely this principle that makes the rocket so problematic. Because the air comes into direct contact with the reactor core, radioactive byproducts are not contained but are blown out into the air. The longer the rocket flies, the more radioactive material can be dispersed along its trajectory. Furthermore, prolonged exposure to heat and compressed air can damage the reactor core, which would cause additional contamination.

Following earlier tests, the Norwegian environmental organization Bellona had already suggested that a rise in radiation levels in the Arctic might be linked to the weapon. In 2019, an explosion occurred on a platform in the White Sea, killing five people and triggering a spike in radiation levels in Severodvinsk. Meanwhile, Russia has continued to conduct further tests, including a launch over the North Pole in 2025 that the Kremlin claims was successful.

The core finding of the new study is clear: the Burevestnik may be technically impressive, but its presumed propulsion system makes it a potentially highly polluting and dangerous weapon.

©picture alliance / Picvario Media | Roman Naumov