Relations between Washington and Moscow may not currently be at a boiling point, but it became clear this week that the respective world superpowers have resumed with an arms race that the USSR was forced to abandon over three decades ago.
During the annual state of the nation address that he delivered before a crowd of lawmakers in the nation's capital, on Thursday (February 29), Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke confidently about his military's plans to ensure peace via an updated arsenal of nuclear-powered weaponry that he insists are capable of neutralizing United States defenses.
"Russia still has the greatest nuclear potential in the world, but nobody listened to us," Putin said at one point during his speech. "Listen now." In addition to the advancements announced per the Kremlin military's air abilities, there were also slides that showed off weapons for underwater drones and explosives that allegedly cannot be intercepted.
As he presented each addition with boasts of them having "hypersonic" speed, with unlimited range, and uncanny maneuvering ability, the audience broke into fervent applause.
Putin, who is expected to win a fourth term when the country holds its presidential election in 17 days, maintained that the build-up was in response to U.S. aggression and NATO's increasing presence on the cusp of its border states.
Source: buzzfeed.com