U.S. President Donald Trump shrugged off Russia’s test of its nuclear-capable Burevestnik missile, which the Kremlin said had flown for more than 8,000 miles, and said Russian President Vladimir Putin should be focused on ending his war in Ukraine instead.
On Sunday, Putin hailed the country’s “unique” nuclear-powered Burevestnik missile after the military carried out new tests. The Burevestnik, also known by its NATO moniker, SSC-X-9 Skyfall, is a ground-launched, nuclear-powered cruise missile.
“They know we have a nuclear submarine, the greatest in the world, right off their shore,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday as he traveled to Japan, reacting to Putin’s announcement of the Burevestnik test. “So, I mean, it doesn’t have to go 8,000 miles.”
“They’re not playing games with us. We’re not playing games with them either,” Trump continued. “We test missiles all the time, but you know, we do have a submarine, a nuclear submarine. We don’t need to go 8,000 miles.
“And I don’t think it’s an appropriate thing for Putin to be saying either. By the way, he ought to get the war ended. A war that should have taken one week is now in its, soon, fourth year. That’s what he ought to do instead of testing missiles.”
Valery Gerasimov, Russia’s most senior general, told Putin the Burevestnik had covered roughly 14,000 kilometers, or 8,700 miles, in a 15-hour test flight on October 21.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
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