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MOSCOW: Russia’s President Vladimir Putin announced Sunday a successful final test of a new nuclear-powered cruise missile, the Burevestnik, amid Moscow’s ongoing Ukraine offensive and uncertainty over a new summit with US leader Donald Trump.
“The decisive tests are now complete,” Putin said in a video released by the Kremlin during a meeting with military officials.
He ordered the preparation of “infrastructure to put this weapon into service in the Russian armed forces.”
Putin called the missile a “unique creation that no one else in the world possesses,” adding that the Burevestnik has “unlimited range.”
During the last test on October 21, the missile flew for some 15 hours, traveling 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles), said Russia’s military chief of staff Valery Gerasimov, adding that this was not the upper limit for the weapon.
“The technical characteristics of the Burevestnik allow it to be used with guaranteed precision against highly protected sites located at any distance,” he said.
Putin announced the Russian military’s development of the missiles in 2018, which he said could evade all defense systems, against the backdrop of a perceived threat from the United States.
Seven years later, the announcement of a successful final test comes as Russian forces slowly but steadily gain ground in Ukraine, grinding through Kyiv’s defenses in costly battles.
Peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv have stalled, despite mediation efforts from Trump, who had promised to quickly end the war upon his return to the White House in January.
Trump slapped sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies on Wednesday, complaining that his talks with Putin to end the Ukraine war “don’t go anywhere.”
On Saturday, Trump played down prospects of a new summit with Putin, saying he was “not going to be wasting my time.”
The remarks came as Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriev met with Trump administration officials on Friday and Saturday, a Russian source familiar with the talks told AFP. The talks are expected to continue on Sunday.
Putin, for his part, said on Sunday that he did not want to set a timetable for an end to the fighting.
“We are not going to align anything with any dates or events... we will base our actions on military rationality,” he said.
Meanwhile, an overnight Russian drone attack on Kyiv killed three people and wounded dozens, the mayor of the Ukrainian capital said on Sunday.
In Russia’s Belgorod region, a Ukrainian drone attack killed one person and wounded one, the local governor said.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Asia’s youngest nation East Timor on Sunday became the 11th member of the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN, fulfilling a vision set out by its current president nearly a half-century ago while under Portuguese rule.
Also known as Timor-Leste, the country of 1.4 million people is among Asia’s poorest and hopes to see gains from integrating its fledgling economy, which at about $2 billion represents only a tiny fraction of ASEAN’s collective $3.8 trillion gross domestic product.
East Timor’s accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations follows a 14-year wait and though its membership is not expected to be transformative, it represents a symbolic victory for its President Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, the heroes of its struggle for independence.
Its joining was formalized by ASEAN leaders at the opening of their annual summit in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, where applause rang out as East Timor’s flag was placed on the stage.

New beginning
An emotional Gusmao said it was a historic moment for his country, with a new beginning that would bring “immense opportunities” for trade and investment.
“For the people of Timor-Leste, this is not only a dream realized, but a powerful affirmation of our journey,” Gusmao said in a speech.

“Our accession is a testament to the spirit of our people, a young democracy, born from our struggle,” he said, adding, “This is not the end of a journey.”
East Timor was ruled for three centuries by Portugal, which abruptly pulled out of its colony in 1975, paving the way for annexation and an at-times bloody occupation by giant neighbor Indonesia before it won full independence in 2002.
Ramos-Horta, 75, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996, had raised the idea of East Timor joining ASEAN back in the 1970s, to secure his country’s future through regional integration.
In an interview with CNA in September, Ramos-Horta said East Timor must maintain stability and not burden ASEAN, adding it could contribute with its own experiences of conflict, including for disputes over borders and the South China Sea.
“If we can in the future contribute toward strengthening ASEAN mechanisms such as conflict mechanisms, that is key, in each country in ASEAN, we put emphasis on dialogue,” Ramos-Horta said.