Putin claims ‘Satan II’ hypersonic missile will be ready for deployment soon in speech to military chiefs

President Vladimir Putin has said his armed force will be provided with anything they ask for, without financial limits, and that the hypersonic Sarmat missile – dubbed “Satan II” – would be ready for deployment in the near future. at an end-of-year meeting of Russia’s top defence chiefs.

The president also vowed Moscow would complete all the goals – without providing much detail – of its invasion of Ukraine, as he heralded Russian soldiers and defence chiefs as “heroes”.

Mr Putin said the Nato military alliance was using its full capabilities against Russia and urged the assembled military leaders to use their experience gained fighting in Syria and during the 10 months of the invasion in the new year. The president said that the combat readiness of the country’s nuclear forces must be assured, while the defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, added that the process of getting new weapon supplies to troops has been sped up.

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Mr Shoigu also proposed that military must be expanded from its current around one million personnel to 1.5 million given the fighting in Ukraine. Shoigu said that the number should include 695,000 volunteer contract soldiers. Mr Shoigu also proposed raising the age range for mandatory Russian military service to cover Russian citizens aged 21 to 30. Under the current law, Russians aged between 18-27 can be called up for mandatory military service. Putin – who only signed a decree this summer ordering troop numbers to be increased by 137,000 from 1 January, 2023 to reach 1.15 million, and ordered the mobilisation of 300,000 reservists in September – gave his backing to both proposals.

However, Mr Shoigu and Mr Putin have repeatedly said that those undertaking mandatory service are not being sent to fight in Ukraine and are being held in reserve. Moscow has sustained significant troop losses during its invasion.

Mr Shoigu also said the Russian military will form new units in the country’s west in view of plans by Finland and Sweden to join Nato and said Russia's forces were actively destroying Ukraine's military potential and accused the West of trying to "drag out" the conflict.

Mr Putin said that changes to Russia’s military forces will be done “calmly” and “won’t be rushed,” but did not say when they will be implemented by. He said that it could be achieved without militarising the economy and that reforms will not undermine the quality of social services for his country’s people. Putin be aware that any moves to increase troop numbers via conscription will be deeply unpopular with the Russian public, who do not want their relatives sent to the frontlines.

The Russian leader also acknowledged that the call-up of the 300,000 reservists that he ordered in September had not been recieved well, or gone as smoothly as expected. "The partial mobilisation that was carried out revealed certain problems, as everyone well knows, which should be promptly addressed," he said. The leader added that 150,000 of the reservists were deployed to combat zones, while the rest were undergoing training.

There were also references to unspecified problems in the military in Mr Putin’s address – and he said that constructive criticism should not be ignored. "I ask the Ministry of Defence to be attentive to all civilian initiatives, including taking into account criticism and responding correctly, in a timely manner," he said.

"It is clear that the reaction of people who see problems - and there are always problems in such major, complex work - can be emotional, but we need to hear those who do not hush up the existing problems, but strive to contribute to their solution," Mr Putin added.

Talking about Ukraine itself, Mr Putin said he still considered Ukrainians – who have been killed in their tens of thousands, forced to flee in their millions, and seen whole towns and cities destroyed – to be a "brotherly" people.

"What is happening is of course a tragedy, our common tragedy, but it is not a result of our policy," Mr Putin said - preferring to blame what he called “third” countries “who have always striven for this, the disintegration of the Russian world... to a certain extent they succeeded, and pushed us to the line where we are now.”

The Kremlin announced early on Friday that Mr Putin would be making remarks “important” remarks at the year-end meeting in the wake of the announcement from Kyiv that President Volodymyr Zelensky was on his way to Washington for talks with President Joe Biden at the White House, the first overseas trip the Ukrainian leader has takn since the start of the Russian invasion.

Mr Biden and Mr Zelensky are set to announce a new $2bn (£1.65bn) defence assistance package, including the provision of Patriot missile batteries and training for the Ukrainian armed forces – Ukraine has been calling for Western leaders to stop up the amoune of weapons and defence systems being sent to Kyiv, as Russia steps up its missile campaign against power and water infrastructure during the bitter winter months.

Mr Zelensky will also address a joint session of Congress late on Wednesday, having received a standing ovation from Republicans and Democrats alike during a previous address made in March during the earliest days of Russia’s invasion.