"Russia has tested missile systems that no one in the world has," bragged Russian President Vladimir Putin at a press conference on January 31. "These missile systems don't represent a response to a missile defence system, but it doesn't matter to them whether that exists or not. They are hypersonic and capable of changing their flight path."

Putin had made claims about the missiles years ago but not about warheads that can change their path.

"All intercontinental ballistic missiles from both east and west are capable of changing their path and are hypersonic," said weapons analyst Michael Denesyk.

Putin said these missiles were capable of carrying nuclear warheads. He would not say whether the Russian military had already commissioned any such missiles.

Putin cited French President Jacques Chirac as a source when he had shown him the workings of the missile system during a visit to a Russian military facility. "He knows what I am talking about," said Putin.

In April 2004, Chirac was the first western leader to visit Russia's top secret Titov space control centre, which controls all of its satellites and its intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Putin said the missiles were capable of changing both altitude and direction, making it impossible for an enemy to intercept them since "a missile defence system is designed to counter missiles moving along a ballistic trajectory."

The warheads are to be fitted on Topol-M and the new naval Bulava (under development) missiles.

During the press conference, Putin at one point lost his control when speaking about his critics who he said were living in the "cold war" past.

Really.

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