Putin showcases Russia’s ‘Dagger’ hypersonic missile ahead of Joe Biden meeting

Vladimir Putin has showcased his “Dagger” hypersonic missile ahead of the summit with Joe Biden.

Footage released by Russia shows the country’s latest war games in the Arctic as Putin prepares for his showdown talks with the US President.

A video highlights drills including the hypersonic Kinzhal air defence missile system unleashed from the Peter the Great heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser in the Barents Sea.

Targets of artillery and rocket fire were in the air, at sea and on the coast, according to a report by TV Zvezda, a channel run by the Russian defence ministry.

In total, eight tactical groups, more than 20 warships and submarines, plus some ten aircraft and helicopters took part in the exercise.

The Kinzhal – or Dagger – missile can carry nuclear or conventional weapons.

It has a range of 1,250 miles and has no match in the West, according to Moscow.

The Arctic drills were separate from the largest Russian naval exercises in the Pacific since the end of the Cold War held around the same time.

Putin has this year ordered a succession of military exercises across Russia’s eleven time zones amid the highest tension between east and west since the demise of the Soviet Union three decades ago.

In another move this month, Russia is due to stage a new test of its deadly new Zircon hypersonic missile.

The Zircon – or Tsirkon – is a 6,100 mph “unstoppable” cruise missile that is on track to go into service next year.

Putin sees the lethal Mach 8 Zircon as his weapon of choice to target American cities in the event of a nuclear conflict, it has been reported.

Separately, Russia’s strategic nuclear forces are this year reported to be conducting more than one military exercise every two days.

During the exercises led by flagship Peter the Great, air defence teams of the Northern Fleet’s naval task force shot down all cruise missiles launched against it during the drills in the Barents Sea.

The drills were to test the defences of the country’s “Arctic frontiers”, said a fleet spokesman.

He added: “Overall, eight target missiles were launched towards the naval strike group, which were successfully shot down by the missile cruisers’ AK-130 and AK-630 artillery systems, Kinzhal and Osa-MA surface-to-air launchers.”

Earlier the ships were ordered to repel high-speed air attacks simulated by Sukhoi Su-24 frontline bombers.

The Biden-Putin talks are due tomorrow in Geneva.