Horror as Putin tests underwater drone that could 'cover UK in 'radioactive tidal wave'

Putin has told press tests have begun on the Poseidon drone (Image: Getty)

Vladimir Putin has revealed tests have begun for Russia's new and much-feared Poseidon underwater drone. Russian propaganda TV military expert Andrei Klintsevich previously said Russia’s new high speed underwater nuclear drone Poseidon should be used against Britain, something he said would “see the wave wash over Britain,” as he alleged that one Kremlin aim is to “wipe out” Britain under a “nuclear tidal wave”.

Putin also discussed tests of the Burevestnik cruise missile, which he claimed had a compact reactor comparable in power to a submarine's but 1,000 times smaller. He further bragged that the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile will soon be on combat duty.

An artist's impression of the Poseidon submarine (Image: NC)

The Status-6 Oceanic Multipurpose System, known as Poseidon, is a Russian autonomous nuclear-powered underwater drone designed as a strategic retaliatory weapon capable of delivering a massive nuclear warhead to coastal targets.

Unveiled by President Vladimir Putin in 2018 as part of Russia's advanced nuclear arsenal, Poseidon is intended to evade detection and defences due to its low acoustic signature and virtually unlimited range powered by a compact nuclear reactor.

Russian claims suggest it can generate a 500-metre-high radioactive tsunami upon detonation, potentially devastating entire coastal cities and rendering them uninhabitable for decades.

On October 29, 2025, Putin announced a successful test of the Poseidon, highlighting its progress toward deployment aboard the Belgorod submarine, with the first production batch reportedly completed earlier this year.

Russian military's Poseidon underwater NUKE drone in action

Also speaking on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov aimed a barb at Donald Trump after the US President said US submarine technology is 25 years ahead of the world.

Mr Trump also condemend Russia for testing the weapon systems.

Peskov said: "We are primarily guided by statements from our president as we develop our defence technology, our defense sector, which is of primary importance to us.

Experts are sceptical about the impact Russia's weapons will have, Putin's claims notwithstanding.

Speaking to the New York Times, Pavel Podvig, a Geneva-based analyst of Russian nuclear forces, described the Burevestnik as “not a terribly useful system,” noting that it is intended to respond to a US nuclear attack but that such a strike would simply target the missile's launching pads first.

On the Poseidon, Podvig explained that its development stems from “Russia’s ambition to display a range of weapons that can evade the US missile defence system,” positioning it as a tool for autonomous navigation and potential redirection.

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