Significant. Very!

Recall a week or so ago US media based on some "sources" claiming tests of unlimited range cruise missile with nuclear power plant only "partially successful".  Well, here are better sources.

MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. The tests of the compact nuclear power unit for cruise missile Burevestnik have been successfully competed in Russia, a source in the missile producing industry told TASS."A major stage of trials of the cruise missile of the Burevestnik complex, the tests of the nuclear power unit, were successfully completed at one of facilities in January," he said. The trials "sustained stated specifications of the reactor ensuring the missile’s unlimited range," the source added.

I do not take ANY Western MSM "sources" seriously, on the other hand big Russian news movers, such as TASS, developed a rather impressive record of real trustworthy news and reporting facts even when making such, traditional in business, statements as:

No official confirmation of the information provided by the source has been obtained by TASS.

Truth is, the dynamics of geopolitical re-balancing after Putin's historic March 1, 2018 Address to Federal Assembly, where he revealed weapon systems which already revolutionized warfare, changed dramatically--the United States literally went berserk in her desperate attempts to arrest own decline, including framing Europe by means of installing US intermediate range missiles, aimed at Russia, there in a futile (and really stupid, honestly) attempt to recreate conditions for American revival akin to post-WW II situation when the devastating war happens elsewhere and the US enters the stage after the war to collect on restoration. I kid you not--many in D.C. think like that, they really live in a delusion. 

Success with Burevestnik (Petrel) unlimited range cruise missile, capable to loiter for days (or weeks) before striking from the most vulnerable directions, has a major ramifications for people in Washington who do believe that the US proper can be defended. But here is my thesis from two years ago:

There is a popular point of view in some of Russia’s political circles, especially among those who profess monarchist views and cling to a famous meme of 1913 Tsarist Russia development statistics, that WW I was started by Germany to forestall Russia’s industrial development which would inevitably challenge Germany’s plans on domination of Europe. A somewhat similar argument could be made for the WW II, but, in general, preventive wars are nothing new in human history. While “preventive” argument may or may not be a valid one regarding WW I, there is no doubt that it could be used, among others, when explaining the origins of a war.

US now is in full blown "preventive war" mode against Russia and, to a large extent, China. I would, however, state that Russia stands as number one in this list precisely for the reasons of Russia redefining warfare, blowing out of the water myth of American military omnipotence. Hysterical reactions, including trying to label Russia a state sponsor of terrorism (LOL) in latest Graham-Menendez bill, are excellent signs of a complete state of "losing it". 

Introduction of Petrel into service will additionally create an enormous cognitive dissonance for US "elites" who will have to contend with new warfare reality of swarms of really "smart" missiles simply hanging "out there" while deciding what and when to attack. This brings another interesting twist to the dynamics of escalation to a nuclear threshold. Because Petrels have unlimited range they will be deployed in places where they will be beyond the ranges of US intermediate range missiles deployed in Europe (they will be deployed)--in other words, there will be more than enough time to launch them in case of US attack. How many? I don't know--20-30, maybe 100. After that--good luck catching them somewhere in Patagonia, over Brazil or in Africa, that is until they begin to converge on US targets. Well, you get the picture... I sense another "Star Wars" coming. That, plus other economic and ideological warfare means and, of course, increased doctrine-mongering. As per Petrel-Burevestnik, for people in D.C. who never read Maxim Gorky's Song of Burevestnik, they should really update themselves on what this poem is about and why Russians voted to name this weapon system Petrel, especially closing lines:

-Tempest! Soon will strike the tempest!
-That is the courageous Petrel proudly soaring in the lightning over the sea's roar of fury; cries of victory the prophet:

-Let the tempest come strike harder!