Vladimir Putin boasts of deadly nuclear weapons that could beat 'all existing' western defences

The Russian president was giving his annual state of the nation address in Moscow during which he boasted of an array of weapons

Vladimir Putin sparked fears of a new arms race today after boasting that Russia has developed an array of nuclear weapons that could beat western defences.

The Russian president claimed his country had developed an underwater drone which could fire a nuclear warhead at coastal targets or aircraft carriers.

A cruise missile with virtually unlimited range and almost immune to enemy intercept was also tested at the end of last year, he told the Federal Assembly in Moscow.

In a state-of-the-nation speech, he told how Russian military engineers had succeeded in building a “small-size super-powerful power plant that can be placed inside the hull of a cruise missile and guarantee a range of flight ten times greater than that of other missiles”.

The submersible's deadly missile

He added: “A low-flying low-visibility cruise missile armed with a nuclear warhead and possessing a practically unlimited range, unpredictable flight path and the capability to impregnate practically all interception lines is invulnerable to all existing and future missile and air defenses.”

The Russian leader showed lawmakers a video modelling the flight of such a devastating weapon.

But he was immediately accused of “Cold War rhetoric” and urged to instead reach out to the West to build ties.

The Russian president said his country had built an underwater drone with the ability to fire a nuclear warhead at coastal targets or aircraft carriers

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has warned that Britain is facing “intensifying and complex” threats.

He has also told MPs: “Britain and our allies are clear that the dangers we face from aggressive states, such as Russia, are growing, real and stark.”

Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Commons foreign affairs committee, added: “It’s deeply disappointing that president Putin can see only military means to engaging with the West.

“The UK and others have been instrumental in reaching out to Russia and are keen to have a productive and positive relationship with one of Europe’s great powers.

“President Putin should be responding in kind rather than using out-of-date, Cold War rhetoric.”

The Russian leader’s remarks came just hours after one of Britain’s defence top brass called for a boost to the defence budget to match the expanding capabilities and weapons being developed by states such as Russia.

General Sir Gordon Messenger, Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, said: “There are capabilities being produced by those states that don’t see the world in the way that we do, that could do us harm.”

In an interview with the Times, the serving Royal Marines officer added: “I am not suggesting is that we are about to descend into world war any moment now, but I do think there are activities going on that need to be countered.”

He also stressed that Britain needs to be prepared for a “deterioration in the international arena” within ten to 15 years.

Sir Gordon spoke out amid claims of a black hole of at least £20 billion in the budget over the next decade, despite it escaping the worst of the Whitehall cuts, and follow similar remarks made by head of the Army, Sir General Nick Carter in January.

In a speech at the Royal United Services Institute, Gen Carter warned how Russia has an “eye watering” capability that the UK would struggle to match without a bigger defence budget.

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