Putin Announced Russia's Readiness to Deploy Nuclear 'Hypersonic' Missiles

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, announced on Wednesday, December 26, that Moscow is prepared to deploy nuclear 'hypersonic' missiles next year. According to Reuters, Putin made this statement after overseeing the testing of the new 'Avangard' missile system, stating that with this test, Russia has now achieved a strategic weapon. He warned about the consequences of the United States' withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The Russian President said that starting next year, in 2019, the Russian army will have the new Avangard intercontinental missile system at its disposal. This is a very significant moment in the history of the country and its military forces. Russia has acquired a new type of strategic weapon. Earlier in March, Putin had announced the production of several new weapons, including the Avangard, stating that these missiles have very high maneuverability and can easily bypass missile defense systems. According to this report, Putin supervised the test of this missile from the Russian Ministry of Defense in Moscow. The Kremlin also stated in a statement that this missile was launched from a location in southwestern Russia and successfully destroyed a target in the Russian Far East. The Associated Press reports that the testing of this advanced missile could increase tensions between the United States and Russia, as relations between the two countries are at their lowest level since the end of the Cold War, with Washington and Moscow having serious disagreements over issues such as Ukraine, the war in Syria, and Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.