Russia's Poseidon: Inside the Nuclear-Powered Underwater Drone Putin Claims Is Unmatched Globally

Russia's Poseidon is depicted in this still image from an animated video released on July 19, 2018.

President Vladimir Putin announced Wednesday that Russia has successfully conducted a test of the nuclear-capable, nuclear-powered underwater drone Poseidon, defying warnings from US President Donald Trump. This test comes just days after Moscow tested another advanced nuclear weapons system.

On Sunday, Putin oversaw a test of the Burevestnik cruise missile, which he claimed possesses an "unlimited range" - a test Trump described as not "appropriate."

"Yesterday, another test was conducted for another prospective system - the unmanned underwater device 'Poseidon,' also equipped with a nuclear power unit," Putin stated during a televised visit to a military hospital treating Russian soldiers wounded in Ukraine.

The Russian leader emphasized that there is "no way to intercept" this drone torpedo, which allegedly travels faster than conventional submarines and can reach any continent worldwide.

Putin claimed no nation could match Poseidon's speed and diving capabilities, adding, "it is unlikely that anything similar will appear in the near future."

According to a source in the Russian military-industrial complex quoted by state news agency TASS, the device can operate at depths exceeding one kilometer (0.6 mile) and reach speeds of up to 70 knots while remaining undetectable.

First tested in 2018, Poseidon is reportedly capable of carrying a nuclear warhead of up to two megatons, the source told TASS.

Following Sunday's cruise missile test, Trump urged Putin to focus on ending the conflict in Ukraine instead.

"He ought to get the war (in Ukraine) ended. A war that should have taken one week is now soon in its fourth year. That's what he ought to do instead of testing missiles," Trump remarked.

The US president recently canceled a planned summit with Putin in Budapest, citing the Russian leader's unwillingness to compromise on ending the conflict.

Trump has been attempting to broker a deal since returning to the White House in January, but negotiations have shown no progress, and he has displayed increasing frustration with Putin, who has rejected multiple ceasefire calls.

Washington recently imposed sanctions on Russia's two largest oil companies, complaining that talks with Putin regarding the Ukraine war "don't go anywhere."

Putin initially announced Russia's development of both the Burevestnik and the Poseidon during a confrontational anti-Western speech in 2018.