Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday that his country had successfully tested Poseidon, a nuclear-powered super torpedo capable of creating massive radioactive ocean waves that could devastate coastal areas.

As U.S. President Donald Trump sharpens his tone and stance against Russia, Putin has been showcasing his nuclear strength first with a Burevestnik cruise missile test on October 21, followed by nuclear launch drills on October 22.

Details about the Poseidon remain limited, but experts describe it as a nuclear-capable hybrid between a torpedo and an underwater drone. Speaking over tea and cakes with soldiers wounded in Ukraine at a Moscow hospital, Putin revealed that the test took place on Tuesday.

“For the first time, we not only launched it from a carrier submarine but also activated its nuclear power unit, which operated successfully for some time,” Putin said proudly.

“There’s nothing like this in the world,” he added, claiming Poseidon cannot be intercepted. Analysts say it can travel up to 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles) at speeds of around 185 kilometers per hour.

According to Putin, the Poseidon and Burevestnik tests send a clear message — Russia will not yield to Western pressure over the Ukraine war.

For Trump, who recently called Russia a “paper tiger” for failing to win in Ukraine quickly, the tests are a reminder that Russia remains a global nuclear power. They also signal that Moscow still wants dialogue on nuclear arms control.

Poseidon and the New Nuclear Race:

The Poseidon, known to NATO as Kanyon, symbolizes a new chapter in the global nuclear arms race involving Russia, the U.S., and China. Measuring 20 meters long and 1.8 meters wide, and weighing 100 tonnes, it’s one of the largest weapons ever built.

Arms control experts say Poseidon breaks traditional nuclear deterrence rules. Reports suggest it carries a two-megaton warhead and runs on a liquid-metal-cooled reactor. Putin even claimed it’s more powerful than the Sarmat intercontinental missile, also known as Satan II.

Since unveiling the Poseidon and Burevestnik in 2018, Putin has portrayed them as Russia’s response to U.S. missile defense systems and NATO’s expansion eastward, especially after Washington withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2001.

After Russia’s latest missile test, Trump criticized Putin, saying he should focus on ending the war in Ukraine instead of testing nuclear weapons.

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