Putin watches terrifying Russian nuclear ballistic missile test

Vladimir Putin has been filmed watching Russia test some of its nuclear missiles in terrifying footage. The Russian leader, with his arms folded, could be seen coldly watching on as the annual exercise, called ‘Grom’ or ‘Thunder’, was carried out successfully. The test used launches to put Moscow’s nuclear forces through their paces in a show of force designed to deter and intimidate foes. Defence minister Sergei Shoigu told Putin the exercises had practised ‘delivering a massive nuclear strike by strategic offensive forces in response to an enemy nuclear strike’.Russia rehearsal of its response to a nuclear attack involved nuclear submarines, strategic bombers and ballistic missiles at a time when tensions are high over a ‘dirty bomb’ allegation it has made against Ukraine.Putin remotely observed the annual exercise seemingly by himself while speaking to officials via a monitor. Test launches of nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles from land and sea, and cruise missiles fired from the air by TU-95MS strategic bombers, had passed off successfully, Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov said.The land warhead, known as the ‘Yars’ intercontinental ballistic missile, was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, located in north west Russia, roughly 500 miles from the Finnish border. It travelled 3,500 miles across the width of Russia to a remote area in the Russian Far East known as the Kura Missile Testing Range.The Russian nuclear-powered submarine ‘Tula’ launched a ‘Sineva’ ballistic missile to the same range in Far East Russia from the Barents Sea, which is located above Scandinavia.Putin later told a meeting of intelligence officials from ex-Soviet countries that the potential for conflict in the world remained high. ‘There are new risks and challenges for our collective security,’ he said. Vladimir Putin watched the Russian nuclear missile launch remotely (Image: REUTERS ) Russian nuclear-powered submarine ‘Tula’ launches a ‘Sineva’ ballistic missile from the Barents Sea (Image: REUTERS )The Pentagon said a day earlier that Russia had notified it of its intention to carry out the exercises at a time when NATO is rehearsing its own use of US nuclear bombs based in Europe in its annual ‘Steadfast Noon’ war games.Washington said the notification lowered the risk of miscalculation at a time of ‘reckless’ Russian nuclear rhetoric, while Western officials have expressed confidence in their ability to discern the difference between a Russian drill and preparations for a real nuclear strike.The nuclear muscle flexing is sensitive however, because Russia is on the back foot in Ukraine and has accused Ukraine of planning to detonate a ‘dirty bomb’ containing radioactive material, an allegation Putin repeated on Wednesday.Kyiv and the West say there is no evidence for the charge and that the warning looks designed to escalate tension around the war in Ukraine or to serve as the justification for some kind of Russian battlefield escalation.READ MORE: Ukraine issues new dirty bomb warning amid Zaporizhzhia nuclear fears [REVEAL]  A ‘Yars’ intercontinental ballistic missile launches at Plesetsk Cosmodrome to Kura Test Range (Image: REUTERS )Western officials have expressed fears that Moscow may be tempted to use a low-yield ‘tactical’ nuclear weapon in Ukraine to try to force Kyiv to capitulate at a time when the Ukrainian pressure on the Russian forces around Kherson threatens a major defeat for Moscow.US President Joe Biden warned Russia on Tuesday that such a move would be an ‘incredibly serious mistake’. Putin, who also chaired a Security Council meeting on Wednesday, has said that Russia has the right to defend its territory using any weapons in its arsenal, which includes the world’s largest nuclear stockpile, but has not specifically spoken of tactical nuclear weapons. It is believed Russia possesses around 2,000 nuclear missiles, the majority of which are smaller, tactical warheads. By comparison, NATO forces reportedly have around 200 missiles. DON’T MISS: Dirty bombs – what they are, how they are made and what [INSIGHT] Putin warned of ‘consequences’ over feared ‘nuclear terrorism’ [REVEAL] Germany warns allies not to ‘dismiss as bluff’ Russia nuclear threat [REPORT]  US President Joe Biden warned Russia that the use of nuclear weapons would be an ‘serious mistake” (Image: GETTY )Russian officials have said that Moscow’s protective nuclear umbrella has been extended to cover four Ukrainian regions Putin says he has annexed, a move not recognised by Kyiv or the West.A day after Russia aired its ‘dirty bomb’ allegations at the UN Security Council, Shoigu briefed his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe by video to convey Moscow’s concern.A close Putin ally, Shoigu held a similar video conference with his Indian counterpart. Rajnath Singh, India’s defence minister, told Shoigu that nuclear weapons should not be used by any side.Mr Singh called for an early resolution to the conflict through diplomacy, a prospect which, for now, seems remote after eight months of war amid a successful Ukrainian counter offensive that has forced Russian troops to retreat.READ NEXT: Russia laying ground for ‘bloodiest battle’ in Ukraine invasionRussia faces ‘heaviest battle’ as Ukraine mounts key counter-offensiveDesperate Putin eyes ‘wet earth’ tactics in twisted plot to flood m…Fresh hammer blow to Putin as soldiers begin Kherson retreatUkrainian forces push Russian troops back in firefight video