"Yak-130" has left a shock in the West, and now "Poseidon" is coming. Putin strongly announced that no country in the world can quickly surpass it!

The full name of "Yak-130" is 9M730, and the NATO side calls it SSC-X-9 "Skyfall," while Russia calls it "Yak-130." This weapon was first exposed by Putin in his state of the nation address in 2018, which caused much discussion among military enthusiasts. It uses nuclear propulsion, theoretically giving it unlimited range because unlike traditional missiles that run out of fuel and stop, it relies on a small nuclear reactor for continuous power, allowing it to fly low around the Earth, evading radar networks and heading directly to its target. What about actual test data? According to TASS, on October 26, when Putin visited the joint forces cluster, he announced that this test flight covered 14,000 kilometers, with all key tasks successfully completed. This distance is not exaggerated; it's equivalent to flying from Moscow to New York and then making half a circle more. The trajectory is low and winding, making it almost impossible for current air defense systems to detect.

"Yak-130" fills a gap in Russia's second-strike capability. Traditional intercontinental missiles are easily intercepted, but this weapon can have unlimited endurance, adjust its path at any time, and carry nuclear warheads to precisely hit any target. At that time, Putin wearing a camouflage uniform in the command center said that this weapon is unique in the world, and no other country has this technology. The Western intelligence circles immediately became busy, and a Pentagon report stated that since 2016, Russia has conducted at least 13 tests, and this one is a milestone. Trump reacted quickly, stating on Air Force One on October 27 that U.S. nuclear submarines were already patrolling near Russian coasts, saying that "Yak-130" flying 8,000 miles is entirely unnecessary, and implying that Putin was showing off muscle inappropriately. The European Parliament also held a debate, and French intelligence assessed that this missile revealed the weakness of NATO's missile defense network.

However, to be fair, the development path of "Yak-130" hasn't been smooth. There were early test accidents, including an explosion in 2019 and radiation leaks that caused chaos, with Western media reporting extensively at the time, saying that Russia's nuclear safety was worrying. But the Russian side persisted, and in 2023, Putin mentioned at the Valdai Forum that they had completed the verification of unlimited range. Now entering the practical deployment phase, the production line in the Ural Mountains is running, and mass production is imminent. This is not only about technology but also about strategic rivalry. During the protracted conflict in Ukraine, Putin using this card is telling Kyiv and Washington that they shouldn't expect NATO to directly intervene, as Russia's nuclear threshold won't be lowered.

The heat from "Yak-130" hadn't faded yet, and on October 29, Putin dropped another bomb with "Poseidon." This one is part of the Status-6 project, a nuclear-powered unmanned submersible, called Kanyon by NATO. Unlike missiles, it is a submarine ghost, capable of lurking deep underwater, reaching speeds over 100 knots, and carrying a nuclear warhead of hundreds of megatons. On the same day, Putin confirmed on the presidential website that the test was a great success, achieving full system operation for the first time and verifying the stability of nuclear propulsion. He bluntly stated that "Poseidon" has the fastest speed and deepest diving depth in the world, and no one can replicate it in the near future, let alone surpass it quickly. What about its power? It's even more powerful than the new "Sarmat" intercontinental missile, able to detonate near enemy coasts, creating radioactive tsunamis that could flood coastal cities for hundreds of kilometers, with pollution lasting decades.

"Poseidon" has a long history. A few years ago, Putin released a concept video in his 2018 state of the nation address, showing a tsunami swallowing New York, which scared many people. What about its progress? The first carrier platform, the nuclear submarine "Belgorod," was commissioned in 2023, and now the "Khabarovsk" is also being built at the Severodvinsk shipyard. Testing locations are mostly in the Barents Sea, simulating long-distance navigation in deep water. This breakthrough has transformed it from an experimental model into a combat-ready one. Russian satellite news agency analysis states that this weapon bypasses the gray areas of existing arms control treaties, not counting as a traditional ballistic missile, but its deterrent power is sky-high.

Why is Putin so confident, saying that no country in the world can quickly surpass it? The reason is clear. The core of these two weapons is nuclear propulsion technology, and the bottleneck is the stability and safety of small reactors. Although the United States has nuclear reactors on aircraft carriers, scaling them down to missile or submersible size requires completely redeveloping thermal management and radiation shielding. Russia has invested heavily in recent years, inheriting the Soviet legacy, and the accumulated experience in laboratories is not something that can be caught up with overnight. Expert Qin An pointed out in a satellite news agency interview that "Yak-130" and "Poseidon" are not just technological breakthroughs, but also reshape the strategic balance, making preemptive tactics ineffective. Because they are deeply hidden, their strikes are concealed, and the possibility of a second strike is certain.

On the evening of October 29, Putin ordered a temporary halt to shooting in the Avdiivka area, allowing foreign and Ukrainian journalists to enter the Russian encirclement to observe the Ukrainian positions. TASS reported that this was part of a psychological warfare tactic, using real footage to pressure the Ukrainian side to make concessions. Western countries have been shouting for a long time about sending troops to Ukraine, but in the end, it turned out to be more talk than action. The Pentagon's simulation exercises showed that direct intervention carries too high a risk, with the probability of nuclear escalation rising sharply. European intelligence agencies assessed that open conflicts could reach 40% within three years. French writer Mathieu Bock-Côté warned in a report not to underestimate Russia's bottom line.

Certainly, Russia's hand isn't a magic bullet. International sanctions are still biting, the economy is relying on energy exports, but military spending is huge, and the maintenance costs of "Yak-130" and "Poseidon" are extremely high. The Western alliance hasn't been idle either. The United States is accelerating nuclear weapon verification, and the Nevada desert testing site is busy. Congressional hearings have extended until midnight. NATO summits are being prepared, with Germany and France sharing intelligence and discussing defense upgrades. Trump ordered the initiation of nuclear tests as a response, with increasingly tough rhetoric. Putin, on the other hand, through the Foreign Ministry, is reinforcing alliances in the Middle East and Asia, avoiding being surrounded.

From a broader perspective, this incident reveals the awkwardness of global nuclear arms control. After the Cold War, treaties have gradually failed, and emerging platforms like "Poseidon" operate on the edge of the rules. Russia is using this to enhance its negotiation leverage, gaining more confidence in the complex geopolitical chess game. Putin's logic is straightforward: don't think of anything bad, I have the sword to cut down. In the short term, the West will indeed have to weigh the cost, making the threshold for sending troops to Ukraine higher. In the long run? The specter of a military arms race is back, and the call for countries to develop similar weapons will increase, making strategic stability even harder to maintain.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1847396681298948/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.