The simulation on screens during President Vladimir Putin's Federal Assembly speech. Putin has warned the imperialists about the Kremli...
Putin has warned the imperialists about the Kremlin's resurgent military might during his annual address to his nation's Parliament, hyping that Russian military technology has developed a weaponry that would render NATO defenses "completely useless."
He displayed animation of a nuclear-capable weapons that elude any air-defense systems and "invincible" missiles that travel at hypersonic speed. "Any use of nuclear weapons against Russia or its allies, any kind of attack, will be regarded as a nuclear attack against Russia, and in response, we will take action instantaneously no matter what the consequences are," Putin said. "Nobody should have any doubt about that."
Putin, who is up for re-election March 18, used Thursday's speech to showcase his country's strides in military technology. "Russia still has the greatest nuclear potential in the world, but nobody listened to us," he said. "Listen now." Putin spoke with video presentation showing multiple nuclear warheads streaking through space before showering down on what appears to be the outline of the state of Florida.
President Putin delivers his annual Presidential speech at Manezh Central Exhibition Hall.
President Vladimir Putin on Thursday launched what appeared to be the start of a new arms race with Washington, as he displaying the new generation of "invincible" Russian weapons developed in response to the threat posed by the United States. Mr Putin quoted a speech he gave back in 2004, vowing that Russia would develop a new generation of weaponry, a promise that he said has now been fulfilled.
He presented Russia's military efforts as a response to recent actions by the United States, which last month unveiled plans to revamp its nuclear arsenal and develop new low-yield atomic weapons. The moves come as relations between the global powers plummeted to levels not seen since the Cold War over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and accusations that Moscow interfered in the US presidential election in 2016. In a speech that ran to almost two hours, Mr Putin showed tests of a new missile system that he said could fly at 20 times the speed of sound and manoeuvre up and down, and is not owned by any other country. "This makes it absolutely invincible for any forms of air and missile defence," he boasted, calling it an "ideal weapon".
Mr Putin, who has led Russia for almost two decades and is seeking in the March 18 election a historic fourth Kremlin term that would extend his rule to 2024, also laid out a number of social, economic and environmental measures in the speech. In the absence of any programme and with Mr Putin having refused to take part in TV debates with other candidates, the address suggested cutting poverty and improving the environment would be among the top goals of his expected new six-year term.
He presented Russia's military efforts as a response to recent actions by the United States, which last month unveiled plans to revamp its nuclear arsenal and develop new low-yield atomic weapons. The moves come as relations between the global powers plummeted to levels not seen since the Cold War over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and accusations that Moscow interfered in the US presidential election in 2016. In a speech that ran to almost two hours, Mr Putin showed tests of a new missile system that he said could fly at 20 times the speed of sound and manoeuvre up and down, and is not owned by any other country. "This makes it absolutely invincible for any forms of air and missile defence," he boasted, calling it an "ideal weapon".
Mr Putin, who has led Russia for almost two decades and is seeking in the March 18 election a historic fourth Kremlin term that would extend his rule to 2024, also laid out a number of social, economic and environmental measures in the speech. In the absence of any programme and with Mr Putin having refused to take part in TV debates with other candidates, the address suggested cutting poverty and improving the environment would be among the top goals of his expected new six-year term.