Two US researchers say they have identified the probable deployment site in Russia of the 9M370 Burevestnik, a new nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed cruise missile touted by President Vladimir Putin as “invincible”.Putin has said the weapon - dubbed the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by Nato - has an almost unlimited range and can evade US missile defences. But some Western experts dispute his claims and the Burevestnik’s strategic value, saying it will not add capabilities that Moscow does not already have and risks a radiation-spewing mishap.Using images taken on July 26 by Planet Labs, a commercial satellite firm, the two researchers identified a construction project abutting a nuclear warhead storage facility known by two names By Jonathan LandayWashington Vologda-20 and Chebsara - as the new missile’s potential deployment site. The facility is 295 miles north of Moscow.Reuters is the first to report this development.Decker Eveleth, an analyst with the CNA research and analysis organisation, found the satellite imagery and identified what he assessed are nine horizontal launch pads under construction. They are located in three groups inside high berms to shield them from attack or to prevent an accidental blast in one from detonating missiles in the others, he said.The berms are linked by roads to what Eveleth concluded are likely buildings where the missiles and their components would be serviced, and to the existing complex of five nuclear warhead storage bunkers.The site is “for a large, fixed missile system and the only large, fixed missile system that they’re (Russia) currently developing is the Skyfall,” said Eveleth.Russia’s defence ministry and Washington embassy did not respond to a request to comment on his assessment, Burevestnik’s strategic value, its test record and the risks it poses.A Kremlin spokesman said these were questions for the defence ministry and declined further comment.The US State Department, the CIA, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the US Air Force National Air and Space Intelligence Center declined to comment.The identification of the missile’s probable launch site suggests that Russia is proceeding with its deployment after a series of tests in recent years marred by problems, said Eveleth and the second researcher, Jeffery Lewis, of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.Lewis agreed with Eveleth’s assessment after reviewing the imagery at his request. The imagery “suggests something very unique, very different. And obviously, we know that Russia is developing this nuclear-powered missile,” he said.Hans Kristensen of the Federation of American Scientists, who also studied the Vologda imagery at Eveleth’s request, said that it appears to show launch pads and other features “possibly” related to Burevestnik. But he said he could not make a definitive assessment because Moscow does not typically place missile launchers next to nuclear warhead storage.Eveleth, Lewis, Kristensen and three other experts said Moscow’s normal practice has been stockpiling nuclear payloads for land-based missiles far from launch sites - except for those on its deployed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) force.But deploying the Burevestnik at Vologda would allow the Russian military to stockpile the nuclear-armed missiles in its bunkers, making them available to launch quickly, said Lewis and Eveleth.Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russia will make changes to its guidelines on the use of nuclear weapons in response to what it regards as Western escalation in the war in Ukraine, state news agency TASS reported on Sunday.A 2020 report by the United States Air Force’s National Air and Space Intelligence Center said that if Russia successfully brought the Burevestnik into service, it would give Moscow a “unique weapon with intercontinental-range capability”.But the weapon’s chequered past and design limitations raised doubts among eight experts interviewed by Reuters about whether its deployment would change the nuclear stakes for the West and other Russian foes.The Burevestnik has a poor test record of at least 13 known tests, with only two partial successes, since 2016, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), an advocacy group focused on reducing nuclear, biological and emergent technology risks.The setbacks include a 2019 blast during the botched recovery of an unshielded nuclear reactor allowed to “smolder” on the White Sea floor for a year following a prototype crash, according to State Department reports.Russia’s state nuclear agency Rosatom said five staff members died during the testing of a rocket on August 8. Putin presented their widows with top state awards, saying the weapon they were developing was without equal in the world, without naming the Burevestnik.Pavel Podvig, a Geneva-based expert on Russia’s nuclear forces, Lewis, Eveleth, and other experts said it will not add capabilities that Moscow’s nuclear forces already do not have, including the ability to overwhelm US missile defences.Moreover, its nuclear-powered engine threatens to disgorge radiation along its flight path and its deployment risks an accident that could contaminate the surrounding region, said Cheryl Rofer, a former US nuclear weapons scientist and other experts.“The Skyfall is a uniquely stupid weapon system, a flying Chernobyl that poses more threat to Russia than it does to other countries,” agreed Thomas Countryman, a former top State Department official with the Arms Control Association, referring to the 1986 nuclear plant disaster.NATO did not respond to questions about how the alliance would respond to the weapon’s deployment.Little publicly is known about the Burevestnik’s technical details.Experts assess that it would be sent aloft by a small solid-fuel rocket to drive air into an engine containing a miniature nuclear reactor. Superheated and possibly radioactive air would be blasted out, providing forward thrust.Putin unveiled it in March 2018, saying the missile would be “low flying,” with nearly unlimited range, an unpredictable flight path and “invincible” to current and future defences.Many experts are sceptical of Putin’s claims.The Burevestnik, they say, could have a range of some 15,000 miles - compared to more than 11,000 miles for the Sarmat, Russia’s newest ICBM - while its subsonic speed would make it detectable.“It’s going to be as vulnerable as any cruise missile,” said Kristensen. “The longer it flies, the more vulnerable it becomes because there is more time to track it. I don’t understand Putin’s motive here.”The Burevestnik’s deployment is not banned by New START, the last US-Russian accord limiting strategic nuclear weapon deployments, which expires in February 2026.A provision allows Washington to request negotiations with Moscow on bringing the Burevestnik under the caps but a State Department spokesperson said no such talks had been sought.Citing the war in Ukraine, Russia has spurned US calls for unconditional talks on replacing New START, stoking fears of an all-out nuclear arms race when it expires.Podvig said Moscow might use the missile as a bargaining chip if talks ever resume.He called the Burevestnik a “political weapon” that Putin used to bolster his strongman image before his 2018 re-election and to telegraph to Washington that it cannot dismiss his concerns over US missile defences and other issues.

Snoonu, a leading Qatari technology company, has signed a strategic five-year partnership agreement with Web Summit, the largest technology conference globally, a statement said.Snoonu's engagement in the previous Web Summit was a resounding success, marked by extensive participation from its team of over 80 engineers and product experts who led more than seven workshops.Apart from showcasing Snoonu's cutting-edge technological solutions, the participation also facilitated significant interactions with global tech leaders and innovators.Hamad Mubarak al-Hajri, founder and CEO of Snoonu, said: "We are excited to continue our journey with Web Summit over the next five years. This partnership is not just an investment in Snoonu's future but also a commitment to Qatar's tech ecosystem. We look forward to contributing to and benefiting from the vibrant discussions and innovations that Web Summit brings to our region."Adam Connon, country manager at Web Summit Qatar, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Snoonu as a long-term partner for Web Summit Qatar. This partnership reflects both Web Summit's and Snoonu's dedication to advancing the tech ecosystem in Qatar and the broader region. In 2024, Web Summit Qatar gathered more than 15,000 entrepreneurs and investors from over 118 countries for our first-ever event in the Middle East.”“Next year, we anticipate thousands more attendees to join us in forging partnerships that will propel their businesses forward," he added.Central to this vision is the enhancement of Qatar's technological infrastructure and capabilities, positioning it as a hub for innovation and digital transformation. The collaboration between Snoonu and Web Summit exemplifies this objective, aiming to foster an environment of technological exchange and development in Qatar.Qatar’s strategic initiatives under the National Vision 2030 emphasise digital transformation as a core objective for achieving sustainable development and enhancing the quality of life for its citizens. The state has made significant strides in expanding broadband access, implementing 5G, and promoting Internet usage across its population.Snoonu is also set to make a notable appearance at Web Summit Lisbon from November 11-14, 2024, underscoring the importance of Qatari companies engaging on international platforms to drive global recognition and partnerships.Web Summit Lisbon is renowned for drawing influential figures from the tech world, providing a critical network for companies like Snoonu to showcase their innovations and align with global tech trends.In addition to its international engagements, Snoonu will also be a key player at Web Summit Qatar in February 2025. This event is part of a broader strategy to integrate the Middle East's burgeoning tech scene with global markets. Web Summit Qatar aims to attract founders, investors and tech enthusiasts, facilitating a new level of exposure for local startups and established companies alike.By participating in both Lisbon and Doha, Snoonu is not only advancing its corporate interests but also contributing to Qatar's broader economic diversification and technological advancement goals, the statement added.

On the margin of the visit of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to the friendly Republic of Finland, Qatar and Finland signed three memoranda of understanding (MOUs) in addition to a letter of intent between the Qatar Chamber and the Helsinki Chamber of Commerce and Industry.An MOU in the field of peace, reconciliation and conflict resolution was signed by HE Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater and Deputy Minister and Assistant Undersecretary at the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Outi Holopainen.An MOU was also signed to establish the Joint Ministerial Committee for Economic, Commercial and Technical Cooperation. The MOU was signed by HE Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al-Thani, and Finnish Minister of Foreign Trade and Development, Ville Tavio.A third MOU was signed for cooperation in the field of vocational and technical education and training between the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in the State of Qatar and the Quality Assurance Committee for Vocational Education and Training in the Republic of Finland. It was signed on the Qatari side by Director of the Educational Training and Development Center at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Iman Salman Al Mohannadi and for Finland, by Chairperson of the Quality Assurance Committee for Vocational Education and Training, Mervi Jansson.Moreover, a letter of intent was also signed between the Qatar Chamber and the Helsinki Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It was signed on the Qatari side by HE Chairperson of the Qatar Chamber, Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al-Thani and Chairperson and CEO of Finland Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mats Mandrebacka.