Vladimir Putin reveals new nuclear weapons

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia has developed and is testing a new line of strategic, nuclear-capable weapons that can't be intercepted.

Speaking at a nationally televised address to the country’s political elite weeks before the presidential election, the president showed a video and animations of ICBMs, nuclear-powered cruise missiles, underwater drones and other weapons that he said Russia has developed as a result of the US pulling out of the 1972 anti-ballistic missile treaty signed with the Soviet Union.

“I want to tell all those who have fueled the arms race over the last 15 years, sought to win unilateral advantages over Russia, introduced unlawful sanctions aimed to contain our country’s development: all what you wanted to impede with your policies have already happened,” he said. “You have failed to contain Russia.”

The video screen shows the Kinzhal air missile system during Putin's speech (Photo: The Guardian)

He said the creation of the new weapons has made NATO’s U.S.-led missile defense “useless,” and means an effective end to what he described as Western efforts to stymie Russia’s development.

The speech came in the same month that the Pentagon released a new nuclear arms policy, which followed on from a promise by the US president, Donald Trump, to develop an arsenal “so strong and powerful that it will deter any acts of aggression”.

The policy envisioned low-yield nuclear weapons on submarine-launched ballistic missiles that could match similar Russian weapons.

The announcement comes as Putin is set to easily win another six-year presidential term in the March 18 election.

He added that names for the nuclear-powered cruise missile and the drone haven’t yet been chosen, and suggested that the Defense Ministry run a nationwide contest for the best names.

During his speech, Putin also promised to raise life expectancy by 10 years (Photo: BBC)

The Russian leader said that another new weapon called Avangard is an intercontinental hypersonic missile that would fly to targets at a speed 20 times the speed of sound and strike “like a meteorite, like a fireball.”

After each demonstration, the crowd applauded.

During the speech, Putin also promised to raise life expectancy by 10 years, increase Russia’s GDP by 50% by 2025, and halve the poverty rate.