If it works, the weapon's utility is debatable, and a nuclear weapons expert said it's likely for political show. The weapon isn't much of an addition beyond the nuclear strike options Russia already has in its arsenal, a nuclear weapons expert told Insider. Will it have "the ability to bypass interception lines" and be "invulnerable to all existing and future missile defense and air defense systems" as he has claimed? The missile, essentially a very-long range cruise missile, can't be intercepted by missile defense systems that are designed to counter ICBMs, meaning it could theoretically penetrate key enemy air defenses to strike its target. The agreement was designed to limit the use anti-ballistic missile systems intended to defend against nuclear attacks.

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Persons: Putin, it's, —, Vladimir Putin, Pavel Podvig, Podvig, haven't, George W, Bush, Sergei Karpukhin Organizations: Service, RIA Novosti, Ministry of Defense, Russian, Russian Navy, US, Technology, Ballistic, National Missile Defense, Putin Locations: Russia, Moscow, Russian, Sochi, Ukraine, Avdiivka, Crimea