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Russia has 'unstoppable' supersonic nuclear missile that cannot be traced by Western defence systems, says Putin | Russia has 'unstoppable' supersonic nuclear missile that cannot be traced by Western defence systems, says Putin |
(35 minutes later) | |
Russia has tested an array of nuclear weapon systems including a new supersonic missile untraceable by enemy anti-missile systems, Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced. | Russia has tested an array of nuclear weapon systems including a new supersonic missile untraceable by enemy anti-missile systems, Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced. |
In a belligerent state of the nation speech delivered to lawmakers on Thursday, Mr Putin said the new weapons would be unique to Russia. | In a belligerent state of the nation speech delivered to lawmakers on Thursday, Mr Putin said the new weapons would be unique to Russia. |
He announced a new intercontinental ballistic missile complex (ICBM) codenamed Sarmat. Weighing more than 200 tonnes, the system has an increased range over its predecessor. “No anti-missile system will get in its way,” claimed the president. There were several other major announcements. First, new underwater drones capable of carrying nuclear bombs (an animation showed the submarine striking an aircraft carrier and seaside town.) Second, the development of a new nuclear cruise missile with unpredictable flight trajectory and unlimited range. | |
Capable of penetrating any anti-missile or air defence systems, this weapon has the potential to change the current international strategic balance. | Capable of penetrating any anti-missile or air defence systems, this weapon has the potential to change the current international strategic balance. |
There were “significant results” in the field of laser weapons, too, but Mr Putin declined to elaborate. | There were “significant results” in the field of laser weapons, too, but Mr Putin declined to elaborate. |
As expected, Mr Putin had spent much of the first part of his traditional annual speech focussing on internal problems. He touched on many of the acupuncture spots for ordinary Russians, who are now in their fourth year of shrinking real-terms incomes. He made promises to halve poverty, double health spending, increase support to parents, and, perhaps less convincingly, to "increase freedom and democracy." But it was in the second half, with an abrupt turn to matters militarily, that the real target of his speech became clear: the United States. This point was emphasised in animations showing east-west trajectories for the new weapons. Mr Putin claimed Russia had been moved to step up development in response to the U.S. withdrawal from the treaty on anti-ballistic weapons systems in 2002: “They thought we would never be able to recover economically, militarily, and so they didn’t take our opinion into account.” For political commentator and former Kremlin advisor Gleb Pavlovsky, it was the point that Putin finally found his form. | |
"Only by telling everyone how he can destroy the world did the old man come alive," he said. " | |