Putin threatens West with 20,000mph ‘meteorite’ hypersonic nuke that flies into space before hitting anywhere in 30 mins
Putin claims the Avangard missile strikes 'like a meteorite' and is 'invincible' - unstoppable by any defence system
VLADIMIR Putin is readying his deadly 20,000mph “meteorite” hypersonic missile for combat in a chilling threat to the West.
The nuclear-capable weapon can be fired outside the earth’s atmosphere before striking anywhere in the world in less than 30 minutes.
It is the only weapon of its kind in the world and Putin has warned the West possesses no means to stop it.
Footage shows the missile with its Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle being installed in an underground launch silo at the base of the 31st Missile Army in Russia‘s Orenburg region.
The Russian defence ministry said: “An intercontinental ballistic missile is loaded into a silo launcher using the hydraulic mechanism of a special transport-loading unit.
“The most complex technological operations last for several hours.”
Putin previously claimed the Avangard strikes “like a meteorite” and is “invincible” – unstoppable by any defence system.
He said: “The Avangard is invulnerable to interception by any existing and prospective missile defence means of the potential adversary.”
As it approaches its target, the Avangard glide vehicle detaches from the rocket and is able to manoeuvre sharply outside the trajectory of the rocket at hypersonic speeds of up to 27 times the speed of sound.
The Yasnensky missile formation is gradually being reequipped with the Avangard system.
Russian defence authorities believe it will “increase the combat capabilities of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces”.
Putin said in 2018 as it was being developed: “It goes at a goal like a meteorite, like a burning ball, like a fireball.”
It comes after Ukraine’s military intelligence said multiple tests of Russian nuclear-capable missiles have failed in an embarrassing blow to the tyrant.
Experts said unsuccessful tests of its Yars and Bulava missiles may point to serious issues with Moscow’s nuclear delivery capabilities.
Ukraine said Putin’s forces “conducted an unsuccessful test of the RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile, which is the main element of the ground-based component of the Russian strategic nuclear forces” on November 1.
It said the missile went “off course” as it had done previously during simulated exercises on October 25.
Russia has not confirmed that any of the missile tests failed, and rather claimed the launches were successful.
Ukraine’s allegations, which do not include how or where the rocket tests failed, come amid speculation Russia has deployed its giant Sarmat missile system with troops, despite only testing it once.
Known in the West as Satan-2, the “unstoppable 15,880mph intercontinental missile system is the size of a 14-storey tower block.
It replaces RS-20 Voyevoda but, according to Ukraine, is an “unfinished, imperfect” missile that “lacks any advantages in design, warhead, or methods of overcoming missile defences”.
