RUSSIA will point its nuclear weapons at the US if Donald Trump deploys intermediate-range missiles to Europe, President Vladimir Putin has warned.

He said he will target the US itself and any host countries if there is any deployment of nukes in Europe.

13 Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his newest latest are undergoing successful tests during his annual government address

13 Putin has threatened to point nukes at the US during his state-of-the-nation address today Credit: EPA

13 US President Donald Trump pulled out of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty at the beginning of February Credit: AP:Associated Press

During his annual address to parliament, Putin said Russia is not seeking confrontation but has made his position crystal clear.

It comes after the breakdown of the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty between Washington and Moscow earlier this month.

Putin added he will not take the first step to deploy missiles because the agreement has collapsed but ensured he would retaliate - his toughest remarks yet hinting to a potential arms race.

He told Russia's elite: "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.

"Let them count, and then after that take the decisions which could create additional threats for our country.

Key points of Putin's speech

Russia threatened to target the US with its nukes if Trump deploys intermediate-range missile to Europe

Putin adds European countries that agree to host American weapons will also be targeted

He is deploying the new hypersonic Zircon missile that can fly at nine times the speed of sound

Two nuclear weapons: the Burevestnik cruise missile and the Poseidon underwater drone have undergone successful tests

The Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile had also been progressions successfully

The first Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles will be deployed this year

Reinforced Russia is open for for arms control talks with the US

Russia will not take the first step in deploying missiles and will not be the the first to initiate negotiations

Hopes the EU will take steps to restore economic and political relations with Russia

Promised economic growth citing examples of the increase in citizens' income and bringing inflation down

Detailed plans to expand welfare by promising tax breaks, lower mortgage rates and housing subsidies for families with several children

Announced the beginning of a railway link across the Crimean bridge to develop Crimea and Sevastopol

Fix the struggling health care system

Pledged to remove toxic dump sites from cities

"And which, of course, would lead to reciprocal actions from Russia whose security will be reliably and unconditionally assured.

"In that case, we will be forced, and I want to underline this, forced, to take both reciprocal and asymmetrical measures.

"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 added he is open to arms control talks with Washington and hopes to amend ties adding "we don't want confrontation, particularly with such a global power as the US".

However, Putin said he will not initiate such negotiations and has urged US officials to take into account the "range and speed of our prospective weapons".

Intermediate-range missiles take a shorter time to reach their targets compared to intercontinental ballistic missiles - leaving little time to make any swift decisions if they are deployed from Europe.

Putin said: "They will only take 10-12 minutes to reach Moscow.

"It's a serious threat to us, and we will have to respond."

Putin also touched on raising welfare payments, improve education and the struggling health care system and removing toxic dump sites from cities.

Similar goals have been set before, but the progress has been slow as Russia has been buffeted by economic shocks caused by a drop in oil prices and Western sanctions.

RUSSIA'S LATEST WEAPONS

In the same state-of-the-nation speech today, Putin says Russia will deploy a new hypersonic Zircon missile in an effort to counter what he described as US hostility.

The missile can fly at nine times the speed of sound and has a range of 620 miles.

It can cover 155 miles in just 2.5 minutes, which is faster than a bullet from sniper's rifle.

He added that other new weapons - the nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile and the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone - have been undergoing tests successfully.

Putin's military plans to deploy more than 30 of the unmanned Poseidon strategic drones to combat duty, each of which could wipe out the likes of Los Angeles or San Diego, according to Russian state media.

The Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile had also been progressions successfully.

Putin also said the first Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles will be deployed this year.

COLD WAR BREAK DOWN

The US pulled out of the Cold War agreement after accusing Putin of breaking it - something Moscow has strongly denied.

The INF treaty bans ground-launched missiles with a range of 310 miles to 3,420 miles and bans either side from stationing land-based missiles in Europe.

The INF was originally signed to stop the dangerous build-up of warheads in Europe, but fears have been renewed after a break down in talks between the US and Russia in Beijing.

Washington made the threat after accusing Russia of producing a missile with a 1,500-mile range – the Novator 9M729.

Russia claims the missile’s range is just 300 miles - which is within the range allowed by the INF - and has accused the US of using it as a pretext to leave the pact for its own military goals.

Putin said today: "Our American partners should have honestly said it instead of making unfounded accusations against Russia to justify their withdrawal from the treaty."

The INF was signed in 1987 by US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

Both countries have six months to resurrect the treaty.

The INF Treaty eliminates land-based ballistic and cruise missiles, and their launchers, with ranges of 500-1,000 kilometres (310-620 miles) - known and short medium-range - and 1,000-5,500 kilometres (620-3,420 miles) - known as intermediate range.

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The treaty does not cover air or sea launching missiles.

By May 1991, 2,692 missiles had been eliminated and 10 years of on-site verification inspections followed.

The immediate effect eliminated the US' Pershing II missiles and the Soveiet Union's SS-20s - which was a key event in ending the Cold War.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Avangard hypersonic missile complex is as significant as the creation of Earth's first artificial satellite

13 The lethal Zircon missiles are described as hypersonic, because they can travel five times the speed of sound Credit: Alamy

13 A guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) launches a Tomahawk cruise missile Credit: Getty Images

13 The Novator 9M729, which is one of the recent missiles developed by Russia Credit: Reuters

13 Putin says the Burevestnik cruise missile has undergone successful tests Credit: East2west News

13 A drop test of the RS-28 Sarmat liquid-fueled superheavy intercontinental ballistic missile

Russian navy begins sea trials of 'unstoppable' Poseidon nuclear drone

13 The massive sub is being developed by the Russian defence ministry

13 The Poseidon nuclear drone was revealed by Russia's defence ministry in May 2018 Credit: Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation

13 War games scenarios show how the Poseidon nuclear drone can be used to target enemy ports

13 Vladimir Putin has rubbished claims that Russia has broken the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) Credit: AP:Associated Press

Vladimir Putin says Russia will withdraw from nuclear pact within six months

13 The INF was signed by US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987 Credit: Reuters

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