In a speech to new graduates of military academies, Putin stressed the importance of Russia’s “triad” of nuclear forces that can be launched from land, sea or air.

“The most important task here is the development of the nuclear triad, which is a key guarantee of Russia’s military security and global stability,” he said.

“Already about half of the units and formations of the Strategic Missile Forces are equipped with the latest Yars systems, and the troops are being re-equipped with modern missile systems with the Avangard hypersonic warhead.”

The first Sarmat launchers would be put on combat duty “in the near future”, Putin said.

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Mark Trevelyan, Editing by Alexandra Hudson)