Russia Loads Hypersonic Nuclear Missile 'Avangard' into Launch Silo

The move comes amid heightened global tensions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and withdrawal from the New START treaty.

Russia has loaded a hypersonic nuclear missile into a launch silo, as reported by Russian state-owned media.
The missile, known as 'Avangard', can travel at 27 times the speed of sound and is touted as being 'impossible' to intercept by defense forces.
Avangard was unveiled by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018 as part of a new generation of weapons developed in response to countries like the U.S. and China modernizing their arsenals.
The missile's loading comes amid heightened global tensions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and subsequent withdrawal from the New START treaty, which limited the deployment of strategic nuclear warheads.
Despite Russia's claims, some experts argue that the Avangard does not represent a new development, but is part of Russia's ongoing strategic modernization.