A GIANT Russian submarine which measures a staggering 604ft is due to be moved out of its secret construction shed as it nears completion.

The 14,700-ton Belgorod, which is twice the size of the Royal Navy's Astute-class attack submarines, bristles with nuclear-tipped underwater drone torpedoes which are guided by artificial intelligence.

6

Russia's president Vladimir Putin has boasted these "Poseidon" torpedos/missiles can completely destroy coastal targets 6,000 miles away.

They are specifically designed to thwart Nato underwater defences as it heads to targets in cities, naval bases or aircraft carriers anywhere in Europe or on America's eastern coast.

The Belgorod has been built at a secretive shipyard in the city of Severodvinsk, which is in Russia's far north west and foreigners are forbidden from entering.

The sub is also fitted with an underwater dock.

This allows it to launch a 180ft mini-sub and intelligence gathering drones.

'ABLE TO DISPATCH SPECIAL UNDERWATER DRONES TO SABOTAGE WEST'

These clandestine underwater crafts would be able to sabotage fibreoptic communications cables and North Sea oil infrastructure.

In January, Fox News reported that a former senior adviser to President Trump admitting there are “genuine concerns” about the plan.

Former State Department senior adviser Christian Whiton said a blast would create a “wave - and a highly irradiated one” but because the water would absorb a lot of the energy the wave would be less damaging than getting hit by the bomb itself.

6 Vladimir Putin has demanded that the submarine should be ready for action by 2020 Credit: Getty - Contributor

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A prototype doomsday craft took to the waves for the first time on Christmas Day to begin under-sea trials, Tass news agency reported.

A defence source is quoted as saying: "In the sea area protected from a potential enemy’s reconnaissance means, the underwater trials of the nuclear propulsion unit of the Poseidon drone are under way."

The drone is said to be powered by a miniaturised nuclear reactor, which has been fitted to the rear for ocean tests.

6 The still from a Russian media reports shows the submarine under construction in Severodvinsk

6 The drone that can be dispatched from the underbelly of the boat Credit: Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation

6 The underwater drone being deployed from a submarine in a Russian computer animated demonstration Credit: Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation

6 The sub and its weapons are designed to sneak up and destroy an aircraft carrier, it is claimed

Vladimir Putin warns Russia it will target America if US deploys nuclear weapons in Europe as well as countries where nukes are stationed

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