Vladimir Putin has warned Russia will target weapons at the US should it deploy new missiles in Europe following America's withdrawal from a key arms control pact.
The US has repeatedly accused Russia of violating the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty by developing banned weapons and earlier this month Donald Trump said Washington was starting a process to withdraw from the deal.
But speaking today, Putin said this was based on 'far-fetched accusations' and that Russia would have to deploy missiles targeting 'decision-making centres' if new US missiles are sent to Europe.
He also warned Russia will deploy a new hypersonic missile for its navy as part of efforts to counter what he described as hostile U.S. moves.
The new Zircon missile will fly at nine times of the speed of sound and have a range of 620 miles, he warned, adding that the missile is designed to equip existing surface ships and submarines.
Other new weapons announced last year, including the nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile and the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone, have been undergoing tests successfully, he said.
The 66-year-old, facing an unprecedented fall in his approval ratings, made the remarks during his first address to both houses of parliament since he was elected to a fourth presidential term a year ago, extending his long rule until 2024.
In his toughest remarks yet on a potential new arms race, Putin said Russia was not seeking confrontation 'particularly with such a global power as the U.S' and would not take the first step to deploy missiles in response to Washington's decision this month to quit the INF treaty.
But he said that Russia's reaction to any deployment would be resolute and that U.S. policy-makers, some of whom he said were obsessed with U.S. exceptionalism, should calculate the risks before taking any steps.
'It's their right to think how they want. But can they count? I'm sure they can. Let them count the speed and the range of the weapons systems we are developing,' Putin told Russia's political elite to strong applause.
'Russia will be forced to create and deploy types of weapons which can be used not only in respect of those territories from which the direct threat to us originates, but also in respect of those territories where the centres of decision-making are located,' he said.
He said Russia was not seeking confrontation and would not take the first step to deploy missiles in response to the U.S. withdrawal from the INF treaty.
But he said that Russia's reaction to any deployment would be resolute and that U.S. policy-makers should calculate the risks before taking any steps.
Signed in 1987 towards the end of the Cold War by then US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, the treaty bans ground-launched missiles with a range of between 315 miles to 3,415 miles.
The deal resolved a crisis over Soviet nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles targeting Western capitals, but put no restrictions on other major military actors such as China.
Putin said he understood concerns about the INF agreement, namely that other countries could continue to develop weapons that are banned for the US and Russia.
'The current state of affairs of course raises questions,' he said during his annual state of the nation address.
'Our American partners should have been honest... and not use far-fetched accusations against Russia to justify their unilateral withdrawal from the treaty,' he said of the deal, during his annual state of the nation address.
Last year, Putin used the address to unveil a new arsenal of weapons in a nearly two-hour speech that stunned the West and many in Russia.
Speaking two weeks before his re-election, Putin promised Russians higher standards of living and hailed Moscow's military might as relations with the West reached post-Cold War lows.
After the speech he enjoyed his highest approval rating since he came to power in 1999.
But a year on, Putin has seen his popularity slide against a backdrop of economic problems.
A hugely unpopular reform raising the retirement age that Putin signed into law in October led to a major dip in his support.
A survey by Russia's independent Levada Center released in January found his approval rating at 64 per cent, the lowest since before Moscow's annexation of Crimea five years ago.
Another Levada poll in October found only 40 percent of Russians would vote for Putin if an election were held.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
