Russia appeared to be preparing to test its new nuclear-armed cruise missile just days before leader Vladimir Putin is expected to meet with President Trump on Friday. 

Experts with the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) and CNA research and analysis organization found evidence that Russia was readying to test its SSC-X-9 Skyfall nuclear-powered cruise missile. 

Jeffrey Lewis, of the MIIS, and Decker Eveleth, of CNA, said activity had skyrocketed at Russia’s Pankovo test site on the Barents Sea archipelago, including increases in personnel and equipment and ships and aircraft associated with earlier tests of the nuclear weapon. 

“We can see all of the activity at the test site, which is both huge amounts of supplies coming in to support operations and movement at the place where they actually launch the missile,” Lewis said.

“It’s full steam ahead,” he said of the pace of test preparations.

Lewis and Eveleth, who monitored the activity at the Pankovo test site using Planet Labs commercial satellites, said the images showed stacks of shipping containers, equipment, and personnel arriving at the test site since late July.

Lewis also noted the presence of at least five ships associated with previous tests, with a sixth ship due to arrive next Tuesday, according to ship-tracking website VesselFinder.com. 

A separate Western security source confirmed with Reuters that Russia was preparing a cruise missile test at the site. 

A series of notices on the US Federal Aviation Administration’s Defense Internet NOTAM Service issued by Russia also showed a possible launch window between Aug. 9 and 22.

Lewis warned that a test of the missile, which Russia labels the 9M730 Burevestnik, could take place this week and even overshadow Trump and Putin’s Alaska summit. 

The White House, Pentagon, the CIA, and Russia’s Defense Ministry declined to comment on the test.

Putin has previously touted the SSC-X-9 Skyfall as his “invincible” weapon capable of bypassing all current and future missile defense systems, with the nuclear arm said to have a nearly unlimited range and unpredictable flight path. 

Experts, however, say it remains unclear if the Skyfall boasts as many advantages as Putin claims. 

The Burevestnik has had a poor test record in recent years, with two partial successes documented among the 13 known tests, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative advocacy group.

Lewis and Eveleth, said the Skyfall has become a more important talking point in Moscow since Trump announced the development of a US Golden Dome missile defense shield.

It remains to be seen if Moscow will opt to suspend preparations for the test launch following reports of the satellite images. 

The development of the new weapon and Golden Dome will likely be at the forefront of US-Russian arms control talks. 

New START, the last US-Russia pact capping strategic nuclear deployments, expires on Feb. 5.

“Sometimes you can push up or push down the schedule for a political reason,” said Tom Countryman, a former acting undersecretary of state for arms control.

With Post wires