Ukraine-Russia war – latest: Putin puts hypersonic missiles on subs in latest nuclear threat

Russia is in the process of equipping its new nuclear submarines with hypersonic Zircon missiles, the head of Russia’s largest shipbuilder has said. “Multi-purpose nuclear submarines of the Yasen-M project will ... be equipped with the Zircon missile system on a regular basis,” Alexei Rakhmanov, chief executive officer of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), told RIA. “Work in this direction is already underway.” Yasen-class submarines, also known as Project 885M, are nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines, built to replace Soviet-era nuclear attack submarines as part of a programme to modernise the army and fleet. The sea-based Zircon hypersonic missiles have a range of 900 km (560 miles) and can travel at several times the speed of sound, making it difficult to defend against them. It comes at least three people were wounded in two waves of Russian drone and missile attacks overnight on the port city of Odesa. On Sunday, seven people were killed following Russian strikes on Kherson, including a 22-day-old baby. Read More Newborn girl killed alongside parents and brother as Putin’s troops bombard Kherson village Russia fires warning shots at ‘Ukraine-bound’ international cargo ship in Black Sea Russia vows retaliation after Ukraine launches attack on key Crimea bridge What are the ‘safe and legal routes’ the government says refugees must take to Britain?