In a chilling escalation of nuclear rhetoric, Vladimir Putin has publicly detailed Russia's development of the Poseidon nuclear torpedo—a weapon he claims could unleash radioactive tsunamis capable of devastating coastal cities for generations.
The Russian president's boasts about the underwater doomsday device come amid ongoing tensions in Ukraine and represent one of his most explicit nuclear threats to date.
The Underwater Apocalypse Weapon
According to Putin, the Poseidon represents a revolutionary advancement in nuclear capability. This mammoth torpedo, powered by a nuclear reactor, is designed to travel thousands of miles underwater before detonating near enemy coastlines.
The resulting explosion would generate what Russian state media has dubbed a "radioactive tsunami"—waves hundreds of feet high contaminated with nuclear fallout that would render vast coastal areas uninhabitable for decades.
Strategic Implications and Western Response
Military analysts suggest the Poseidon system is intended to circumvent traditional missile defence systems by operating entirely beneath the ocean's surface. This underwater approach makes detection and interception significantly more challenging for Western navies.
NATO officials have described the weapon as part of Russia's growing portfolio of "exotic nuclear systems" designed to threaten critical infrastructure and population centres.
Escalating Nuclear Rhetoric
Putin's public discussion of the weapon comes during a period of heightened nuclear tensions. Western intelligence agencies have noted increased activity at Russian nuclear test sites, though they stop short of confirming whether full-scale testing has resumed.
The timing of these revelations appears calculated to pressure Western governments as they consider additional support for Ukraine, effectively using the threat of unprecedented destruction as diplomatic leverage.
As one defence expert noted, "This represents a return to Cold War-style nuclear brinkmanship, but with weapons far more destructive than anything previously deployed."
