Today Russia put in place its nuclear threat against the West by showily readying a Yars strategic missile for combat use, at a location southwest of Moscow.
A video shows the installation of the enormous rocket into a silo at the Kozelsk military compound in the Kaluga region.
In late October, Vladimir Putin was spotted overseeing the launch of a similar Yars nuclear missile on a mock attack on the West amid high tension in the war with Ukraine.
Russia is building up to more nuclear showboating in preparation for the annual Strategic Missiles Forces Day on December 17.
The Yars intercontinental ballistic missile with a 7,500 mile range was installed in a silo launch pad using a special transport and loading unit.
It took several hours for the "complicated technological operations" to be installed.
The division commander Col. Alexei Sokolov explained that the exercise was meant to send a message to the West, as both the US and the UK were within range.
He said: “The importance of this operation lies in the fact that the next missile will be put on combat duty on schedule.
“The homeland will get another nuclear missile weapon, which will make it possible to solve any tasks at the strategic level.”
Combat engineer Vadim Vyazovsky told TV Zvezda, the Russian defence ministry’s own channel: “I feel proud of Russia that my country is putting such products into service so that the Motherland can sleep well.”
According to reports the Kozelsk missile is undergoing modernisation and a revamp.
The Yars is a modification of the Topol-M missile system, and was first deployed in 2009.
In the October drill, Russia allegedly practiced its response to a Western nuclear attack.
Russian state TV said the Putin drills were aimed at targeting the UK and US.
Back in July, Putin staged drills with his road-launched intercontinental nuclear Yars missiles in a forest in western Siberia.
The 7,500 mile range of the missiles meant they would be capable of striking Britain or anywhere in Europe.
The tests came amid high tension with the West over the Ukraine war, and the near-daily threats by Putin’s propagandists to deploy atomic weapons.
"Over 100 pieces of hardware are taking part in the exercise," said a statement from the Russian defence ministry.
"Launch vehicles of the Yars road-mobile missile systems of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces' Novosibirsk Missile Formation have trained redeployment during a scheduled drill."
"While performing their manoeuvres, missile units and detachments dispersed in a forest to increase concealment.”
They trained in killing mock saboteurs, reconnoitring the launch area, and in passing through "contaminated" areas, said the defence ministry.
Putin put his nuclear forces on alert earlier in the war with Ukraine and regular drills were held.
