Russia’s first batch of Poseidon nuclear torpedoes, which it brags could “plunge Britain into the depths of the sea” have been loaded onto its Belgorod submarine.
The monster domesday bomb will spark alarm among western war-planners as it is said to be capable of setting off a tsunami-style wave destroying and poisoning coastlines.
It is nuclear-armed and powered enabling it to travel thousands of miles to a target and could be used against Ukraine ’s southern coastline or western warships.
Dubbed “super torpedoes” at least 30 of them are being supplied to the Belgorod, which will become a mothership for the world’s biggest-ever torpedo.
It is 21 metres long and two metres wide, is believed to be able to reach underwater speeds of 80mph and is said by Moscow to be “unstoppable.”
A Russian source said: “The first of the Poseidon ammunition has been made and the submarine Belgorod will receive them in the near future.”
The 184 metres-long Belgorod is Russia’s biggest submarine but it was designed to fire a host of Russia’s vanguard stealth nuclear torpedoes.
Tests on the massive submarine were held back by the coronavirus pandemic and various other technical setbacks but it is now ready for its first mission.
The Belgorod is thought to be able to carry at least six of the Poseidons at any one time and the “plunging Britain into the depths of the sea” brag was made by a pro-Putin TV host in Moscow.
Today, Downing Street has expressed confidence that Ukraine will use British tanks effectively after Russia claimed the Challenger 2s “will burn” on the battlefield.
No 10 said there is a “plethora of evidence” showing Volodymyr Zelensky’s troops have used UK-supplied weapons successfully.
The Kremlin has sought to downplay the significance of the UK’s move to supply increasingly more advanced weapons to aid the resistance.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said “these tanks are burning and will burn just like the rest”, claiming the supplies were an attempt to draw out the conflict.
But Rishi Sunak’s spokesman said: “We have seen very clearly that the Ukrainian armed forces have been very effective with the equipment that we have provided to them.
“I think there is a plethora of evidence for that and we are confident they will do so again.”
The PM hopes the UK’s intensifying support will increase the pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and galvanise support among Western allies.
He signed off on sending 14 British Army Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Kyiv, as well as around 30 AS90 self-propelled guns.
Ukrainian authorities on Monday said the death toll from a weekend Russian missile strike on an apartment building in Dnipro had risen to 40.
Rescuers were working to locate victims and survivors in the wreckage of the strike on a multi-story building that housed around 1,700 people in the south eastern city.
Meanwhile, James Cleverly welcomed being among multiple Cabinet ministers and the Army’s Chief of the General Staff, Sir Patrick Sanders, who have been sanctioned by Russia.
The Foreign Secretary tweeted: ““Good,” in response to Moscow’s move over the weekend.
He continued: “If this is the price for supporting Ukrainian freedom, then I’m happy to be sanctioned -SlavaUkraini.”
