What Is Putin Hiding? Moscow Ends Plutonium Pact With US After Testing ‘Unstoppable’ Mystery Missile | World News

Moscow: Russia took a decisive step that sent shockwaves through its nuclear diplomacy. President Vladimir Putin has signed a law ending a long-standing agreement with the United States on the destruction of nuclear weapons-grade plutonium. Russian state media RT reported that the move officially closed the chapter on the agreement, which once helped limit dangerous stockpiles that could fuel nuclear warheads.

The law passed the State Duma in early October and received approval from the Federation Council last Wednesday. With Putin’s signature now available, the law is scheduled to come into force on Monday, marking the final withdrawal of the agreement.

The original agreement dates back to September 2000, when Washington and Moscow pledged to permanently remove 34 tons each of military-grade plutonium from their weapons programs. It was hailed as a major step towards reducing nuclear risk in the post-Cold War era.

However, these requests emerged years later. In October 2016, Russia suspended the agreement, accusing the United States of what it called “hostile actions” including sanctions against Moscow and expanding NATO’s presence near Russia’s borders. RT highlighted these complaints in its news about the decision.

This renewed termination comes at a striking time for Russia’s military posture. The Kremlin recently unveiled what it calls a major leap forward in missile technology: a nuclear-powered cruise missile called Burevestnik.

Putin underlined the system in his annual speech to the Federal Assembly, revealing that there was a miniature nuclear power unit inside the missile. According to TASS, he said that this design allows for extremely long duration flight, low altitude routes and unpredictable trajectories that make interception almost impossible.

The president called Burevestnik “a missile unlike anything else in the world” and claimed that the tests were successful and progress was being made toward full deployment. Russian officials said the missile flew for about 15 hours during the tests and covered about 14,000 kilometers, or about 8,700 miles, reinforcing the message that Moscow’s nuclear deterrent now extends far beyond known limits.

While Russia projects confidence, the United States responds with economic pressure rather than arms control. Washington announced new sanctions against Russian oil companies, calling them an “appropriate and necessary” measure to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

The White House has made it clear that patience is running out. President Donald Trump “felt yesterday that the moment was right” to impose tougher penalties, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, adding that he had repeatedly expressed frustration with both sides of the conflict as the war dragged on.