Russia has been busy this month testing cutting-edge nuclear warhead delivery weapons, at a moment peace talks with Washington centered on finding truce in Ukraine have broken down. To review, less than week ago we detailed: Putin Oversees Major Russian Nuclear Drill, Launches ICBMs. And then just days ago: 'Not Playing Games': Trump Responds To Putin Testing 'Invincible' Nuclear Cruise Missile.

On Wednesday Russian President Vladimir Putin declared yet another major breakthrough test of a nuclear-capable weapon, this time a state-of-the-art underwater drone named the 'Poseidon'.

The trial took place the day before at an undisclosed location, with Putin subsequently describing, "When it comes to speed and depth, there is nothing comparable to this unmanned vehicle anywhere the world, and it is unlikely to appear anytime soon."

He further claimed there are currently "no methods of intercepting" the Poseidon. It is also apparently nuclear-propelled, at least some of the time. 

"For the first time, we succeeded not only in launching it from a submarine using its booster engine, but also in starting its nuclear power unit, which provided energy to the vehicle for a certain period of time. This is a tremendous success," Putin described.

He further touted that the capabilities of the Poseidon "significantly exceed the power of even our most promising Sarmat intercontinental range missile."

The drone on the one hand is said to be able to reach a speed of 125mph (or 200kph), but on the other can maneuver so slowly so as to become (purportedly) undetectable for modern underwater radars. The drone is sizeable, at 20-meters long and weighing 100 tons.

Russian media visualization of the Poseidon in action (illustrative): 

Some Western media reports have said it could unleash a radioactive tidal wave when detonated:

The Poseidon system—sometimes referred to in Western media as a "nuclear super tornado"—is designed to circumvent existing U.S. missile defense systems and potentially deliver catastrophic radioactive tidal waves against coastal targets.

Western defense analysts have actually for the most part vouched for the specifications and stats being offered from the Russian side when it comes to the Poseidon's capabilities: 

The Poseidon, officially known as the Status-6 Oceanic Multipurpose System, is a nuclear-powered, autonomous underwater torpedo capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, with reports suggesting yields up to 100 megatons. The torpedo reportedly operates at high speeds (up to 54 knots) and can reach depths of 1,000 meters, as detailed by national security analyst Steve Balestrieri in the National Security Journal. Analysts describe its core purpose as a strategic deterrent—one intended to bypass U.S. anti-ballistic missile systems developed after the U.S. withdrawal from the 1972 ABM Treaty.

According to more from the same report:

The strategic and environmental implications are significant. The Poseidon's warhead is speculated to be a cobalt bomb, maximizing long-term radioactive contamination. According to NukeMap models cited by Balestrieri, a detonation could render an area of approximately 1,700 by 300 kilometers uninhabitable because of radioactive fallout or unleash a “nuclear tsunami” on coastal cities.

The words nuclear and tsunami certainly sound quite apocalyptic when put together, and instilling fear in the West is likely precisely what Putin and the Kremlin are going for.

The timing seems intentional too, given it comes amid months of a general climate of nuclear saber-rattling, and also with the breakdown in Moscow-Washington talks in the wake of the Alaska summit. So far, the planned for Budapest summit between Trump and Putin seems on indefinite pause.