Updated March 02, 2018 00:47:39

Photo: Mr Putin set a slew of ambitious economic goals, vowed to boost living standards, health care and education. (AP: Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Russia has tested an array of new strategic nuclear weapons that cannot be intercepted, President Vladimir Putin says, marking a technological breakthrough that could dramatically increase Russia's military capability, boost the Kremlin's global position and open a new round in the global arms race.

Speaking in the annual state of the nation address, Mr Putin said the weapons include a nuclear-powered cruise missile, a nuclear-powered underwater drone and new hypersonic missiles that have no equivalent elsewhere in the world.

He said the creation of the new weapons has made NATO's US-led missile defence "useless", and means an effective end to what he described as Western efforts to stymie Russia's development.

Russia is facing a pressing challenge ahead of its own elections — winning over a new generation that's turning its back on Mr Putin.

"I want to tell all those who have fuelled 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 announcement comes as Mr Putin is set to easily win another six-year presidential term in the March 18 election.

He said the nuclear-powered cruise missile tested last autumn had a "practically unlimited" range and high speed and manoeuvrability allowing it to pierce any missile defence.

The Russian leader said the high-speed underwater drone also had an "intercontinental" range and was capable of carrying a nuclear warhead that could target both aircraft carriers and coastal facilities.

He said its operational depth and high speed would make it immune to enemy intercept.

New missile to fly 20 times the speed of sound

Photo: Russian nuclear missile cruiser and nuclear submarine were part of an impressive Navy Day parade last year. (Reuters: Anton Vaganov)

Mr Putin noted that the tests of the compact nuclear reactor to power the new drone were completed last fall.

He added, to applause, that names for the nuclear-powered cruise missile and the drone have not yet been chosen, and suggested that the Defence Ministry run a nationwide contest for the best names.

Mr Putin accompanied his statement to an audience of hundreds of senior officials and lawmakers with videos and computer images of new weapons, which were shown on giant screens at a conference hall near the Kremlin.

"No one in the world has anything like that," he said. "It may appear someday, but by that time we will develop something new."

The Russian leader said 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".

Mr Putin said that Russia also tested a new heavy intercontinental ballistic missile, called Sarmat, with a range and number of warheads exceeding its Soviet-era predecessor, known in the West as Satan.

He said that another weapons system, called Kinzhal, already has been deployed in Russia's Southern Military District.

He said it is a hypersonic missile carried by an aircraft that can strike targets 2,000 kilometres away.

Putin threatens to use weapons against attackers

Photo: Mr Putin suggested the names for nuclear missile and drone be decided in nationwide contest. (Reuters: Maxim Shemetov)

In his speech Mr Putin said Moscow would be ready to use these new weapons not only in response to an attack on Russia but also in defence of its allies.

"We would consider any use of nuclear weapons against Russia or its allies to be a nuclear attack on our country," he said.

"The response would be immediate."

The Russian leader emphasised that the development of new weapons that have no equivalent in the West came in response to the US withdrawal from a Cold War-era treaty banning missile defences and US efforts to develop a missile defence system.

He said that the US has ignored Russian complaints.

"No one has listened to us. You listen to us now."

He said the new weapons will help ensure global stability and draw a line under attempts to weaken Russia.

AP

Topics: nuclear-issues, world-politics, government-and-politics, russian-federation

First posted March 02, 2018 00:20:33