Russian president Vladimir Putin has issued a direct threat to any country that intervenes in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
During an address in St Petersberg today, Putin reportedly said: "If someone intervenes from outside, that will create strategic threats unacceptable for us.
"They should know that our response to counter-strikes will be immediate, quick. We have all instruments that no one else could brag about. But we will not just brag about them."
Sharing a video of the speech, The Mail claimed Putin "was almost certainly referring to Russia's new Sarmat 2 nuclear missile which was tested for the first time just days ago". It comes after Russian state TV suggested the same weapon - also known as 'Satan II' or the 'big beast' - could be used against the UK, which it accused of being 'boorish'
The 208-ton 15,880mph hypersonic intercontinental missile has been dubbed 'unstoppable' and will reportedly be brought into use this year. Last week, Putin said the missile was "a big, significant event in the development of advanced weapons systems of the Russian army".
Russia has also announced it is withdrawing from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation - just hours before the body’s assembly voted to temporarily suspend the country’s membership over the invasion of Ukraine. UNWTO secretary general Zurab Pololikashvili made the announcement on his official Twitter account.
He said it was the first UN body to address Russia’s membership. The UNWTO went ahead and approved the suspension at a special meeting on Wednesday in Madrid, where the organisation has its headquarters.
“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s military offensive is an attack on the founding principles of the United Nations and on the values that tourism represents, such as peace, prosperity and universal respect and the observance of human rights,” Spanish industry, trade and tourism minister Reyes Maroto said in a statement following the decision.
The assembly resolution included a clause that said the suspension could be reversed if a change in the politics of the Russian Federation were noted. Spain was one of 22 European nations that had promoted the motion.
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