President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia had successfully tested its Poseidon nuclear-powered super torpedo — a weapon military analysts claim could devastate coastal areas by creating massive radioactive ocean waves. As U.S. President Donald Trump has hardened his rhetoric and policies toward Moscow, Putin has showcased Russia’s nuclear strength with a series of demonstrations, including the test of the Burevestnik cruise missile on Oct 21 and nuclear launch drills on Oct 22.

Details about the Poseidon remain scarce, but the weapon — named after the Greek god of the sea — is described as a nuclear-capable hybrid between a torpedo and an underwater drone. Putin revealed during a meeting with wounded Russian soldiers in a Moscow hospital that the test took place on Tuesday.

“For the first time, we not only launched it from a carrier submarine using a launch engine but also activated its nuclear power unit, which operated for a certain period,” Putin said. He added, “There is nothing like this anywhere else,” claiming that the Poseidon cannot be intercepted. Analysts suggest it has a range of about 10,000 km and can travel at roughly 185 km per hour.

Both the Poseidon and Burevestnik tests are seen as Russia’s message to the West that it will not yield to external pressure over the Ukraine conflict. For Trump — who recently called Russia a “paper tiger” for failing to quickly defeat Ukraine — the tests serve as a reminder that Moscow remains a formidable nuclear power and a player in global arms control discussions.

The Poseidon’s development reflects what Putin describes as an escalating nuclear arms race involving the U.S., Russia, and China, all seeking to modernize their arsenals. Known to NATO as “Kanyon,” the Poseidon reportedly measures 20 meters in length, 1.8 meters in diameter, and weighs around 100 tonnes. Experts say it defies traditional nuclear deterrence concepts, likely carrying a two-megaton warhead and powered by a liquid-metal-cooled reactor.

Putin asserted that the Poseidon surpasses even Russia’s advanced Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, known in NATO as the SS-X-29 or “Satan II.” Since first unveiling the Poseidon and Burevestnik in 2018, Putin has described them as responses to U.S. missile defense initiatives and Washington’s 2001 withdrawal from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, as well as NATO’s eastward expansion. After the recent Burevestnik test, Trump commented that Putin should focus on ending the war in Ukraine rather than testing nuclear-powered weapons.