Putin is preparing new 20,000-mph hypersonic Avangard “Meteorite” missiles as a new threat to the West

Russia today unveiled chilling new footage of its “Meteorite” hypersonic missile Avangard being readied for another nuclear threat to the West.

Footage shows the weapon, which is fired at targets at 27 times the speed of sound, being installed in an underground launch silo in the Orenburg region of south-west Russia, near the border with Kazakhstan.

The rocket carrying a hypersonic glide vehicle will be launched outside Earth’s atmosphere before hitting a target on the planet in less than 30 minutes, Moscow claims.

Like other Russian hypersonic missile systems, Vladimir Putin claims the West has no way of stopping them.

Putin called the Avangard a “new breed of strategic weapon.” Pictured in test in 2019

Putin, pictured this week, has previously claimed the Avangard will hit “like a meteorite” and be “invincible” – unstoppable by any defense system

Today’s deployment of the 20,000 mph (32,187 km/h) avangard beast follows three consecutive days that Putin has demonstrated the deployment of the new Yars nuclear missiles in the Kaluga and Tver regions.

The Kremlin announced that Putin spent all of Friday in talks with his military commanders about the war in Ukraine.

Dozens of rockets were fired into Ukraine that day – many of which were successfully shot down by Kiev’s air defenses.

Putin was urging ideas from his commanders, including General Sergei “Armageddon” Surovikin – who is in overall command of the Russian offensive.

The President was accompanied by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov, both of whom are rumored to be on hiatus during the war.

Footage shows the weapon, which is fired at targets at 27 times the speed of sound, being installed in an underground launch silo in the Orenburg region of south-west Russia, near the border with Kazakhstan

The Kremlin revealed that Putin (centre) spent all of Friday in talks with his military commanders about the war in Ukraine

Russia has deployed a new deadly hypersonic Avangard missile system, capping a week of nuclear threats against the West

Putin said: “Comrade officers, we will be hearing from the commanders in each theater of operations today, and I would like to hear your suggestions on our immediate and medium-term actions.”

It is the first time in ten months that Putin – who, unlike Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has not yet been on the front lines – has shown close involvement with his high command.

It is the first known visit by Putin to the joint headquarters of the troops.

His visit comes amid fresh questions about his health with reports that he is running out of missiles – and that he is preparing a New Year’s offensive to try again to seize Kyiv.

Putin has previously claimed that the Avangard hit “like a meteorite” and were “invincible” – unstoppable by any defense system.

Pictures show the test launch of Avangard in 2019

Putin speaks on Friday with Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov (left), who is said to be absent from the war

He boasted, “The Avangard is invulnerable to intercept the potential adversary by all existing and future missile defense means.”

Pictures show its test launch in 2019.

He called it a “new breed of strategic weapon” that was first used in 2019.

Showboating with Yars and Avangard missiles ensued this week as Russia marks its annual Strategic Missile Forces Day today.