Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has positioned himself as one of the world’s most powerful leaders as Russia continues to significantly expand its military capabilities. Under his leadership, Russia—widely regarded as possessing the world’s second most powerful armed forces—has introduced a new strategic weapon system into its arsenal: an underwater nuclear-powered drone known as Poseidon.
Russia tested the Poseidon system in October last year, President Putin revealed, describing it as an unprecedented weapon for which no counter-technology currently exists. He termed it Russia’s ultimate strategic deterrent, capable of causing massive destruction. According to Russian claims, Poseidon can trigger a radioactive tsunami, potentially devastating multiple coastal cities within minutes.
Poseidon is a nuclear-powered, submarine-like unmanned underwater vehicle designed to travel thousands of miles beneath the ocean surface. Russian officials say it can inflict damage both underwater and on land, significantly enhancing the country’s second-strike nuclear capability.
Russian military strategists claim that detonating Poseidon near a coastline could generate a radioactive tsunami rising as high as 1,650 feet. Such waves would reportedly carry lethal radiation, posing long-term environmental and human risks and threatening future generations. Coastal cities could be permanently submerged and rendered uninhabitable, according to these assessments.
The drone is reportedly constructed using a titanium alloy and can operate at depths beyond human reach. It is said to reach speeds of up to 100 knots, far exceeding those of conventional torpedoes, while remaining extremely quiet to evade sonar detection. Russian sources also claim the system can remain underwater for months and be remotely activated when required.
Poseidon is powered by a compact, gas-cooled nuclear reactor, marking what Russia describes as its first successful deployment of nuclear propulsion in such a small unmanned underwater platform. President Putin has characterised the weapon as something “the world has never seen before,” underscoring its significance in Russia’s evolving military doctrine.