By Tony O’Reilly-
Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has today said Russia will pay “increased attention” to boosting its nuclear forces on the eve of the war’s first anniversary.
The narcissistic Russian president plans to deploy a much delayed new intercontinental ballistic missile, rolling out hypersonic missiles and adding new nuclear submarines.
“As before, we will pay increased attention to strengthening the nuclear triad,” said Putin, referring to nuclear missiles based on land, sea and in the air.
“We will continue mass production of air-based hypersonic Kinzhal systems and will start mass supplies of sea-based Zircon hypersonic missiles,” Putin said in the remarks issued by the Kremlin early on Thursday.
The announcement comes after Putin suspended Russia’s participation in the START nuclear arms control treaty earlier this week.
Putin also said that for the first time, Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles — a weapon able to carry multiple nuclear warheads — would be deployed this year.
“We will continue mass production of air-based hypersonic Kinzhal systems and will start mass supplies of sea-based Zircon hypersonic missiles,” he said, in comments that were released in English by the Kremlin late Wednesday.
On Tuesday the Russian leader said he would suspend Russia’s involvement in the New START treaty, the last such arms agreement between Russia and the United States. Biden called Russia’s decision a “big mistake.”
The treaty requires each nation to inform the other when it is testing an intercontinental ballistic, which happened when Russia tested a Sarmat missile in the days leading up to President Joe Biden’s trip to eastern Europe this week, according to Biden administration sources — a test that is thought to have failed.
Putin’s comments come on the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor, culminating in a rally in Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium on Wednesday at which Putin led thousands of supporters in cheering for the country’s soldiers.
A Ukrainian military aid said Russia is intensifying hostilities in a deliberate attempt to deplete Kyiv’s forces, with the fiercest fighting around the eastern city of Bakhmut.
Russia is suffering heavy casualties as it intensifies its assault on Kyiev.