Russia's nuclear-powered facilities to ensure strategic balance for decades: Putin

Russia's new nuclear-powered facilities will be vital to national security and strategic balance for decades, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday.

"The Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile and the Poseidon nuclear-powered unmanned underwater vehicle hold historic significance for our people for at least the next few decades," Putin said.

The recent tests of the Burevestnik missile showed its range surpasses all known missile systems, with the capability to hit targets at a pre-calculated time with high accuracy, said the Russian president.

"The missile's compact, high-output nuclear reactor features a unique operating model," Putin further said, explaining that its start-up "is measured in seconds," unlike conventional reactors that take hours or days.

"Work has already begun on a new generation of nuclear-powered cruise missiles. Future models are expected to fly at speeds more than three times the speed of sound and may eventually reach hypersonic speeds," Putin added.

"Poseidon incorporates advanced materials, components, and assemblies designed for undersea operations, enabling high speeds and diving depths of up to 1,000 meters," Putin said, noting that its speed is many times faster than that of all modern surface vessels.