On Wednesday, over tea and cakes with veterans of the Ukraine war, President Vladimir Putin announced Russia had tested a new weapon.
There is nothing like this, the Russian leader said of the Poseidon - a nuclear-powered, nuclear-capable underwater drone that can be fired like a torpedo and which a senior Russian MP said could put entire states out of operation.
When it was first unveiled in 2018, Russian media said the Poseidon would be able to achieve a speed of 200km/h (120mph) and travel in a constantly changing route that would make it impossible to intercept.
Putin's claim came only days after the announcement that Moscow had conducted a test of its unlimited-range Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile.
It's a unique product, unmatched in the world, Putin said of the Burevestnik, noting the missile was so new we are yet to identify what it is, what class of weapons [it] belongs to.
It is not unusual for Russia to test and flaunt weapons. Yet, despite the boisterous nature of Russian announcements, their military value is ambiguous. They are basically Armageddon weapons - too powerful to be used unless you're happy to destroy the world, remarked Mark Galeotti, a scholar of Russian politics.
Both the Poseidon and the Burevestnik are second-strike, retaliatory weapons, he added - and not even the most rabid Kremlin propagandists are suggesting anyone is preparing to launch strikes on Russia.
It is also unclear whether the weapons are actually viable, given past incidents such as the 2019 explosion that claimed the lives of five Russian nuclear engineers, which some said was linked to the Burevestnik.
While historical context shows both weapons are part of a presentation first made in 2018 under Putin’s 'invincible' category, the timing of the announcements could reveal more about Russia's current strategies and geopolitical aspirations.
After recent diplomatic efforts between the US and Russia stalled, with President Trump opting against a summit, these nuclear test claims serve as a reminder of Russia's ongoing military intentions amid ongoing tensions in Ukraine.
As it stands, Russia's military announcements reflect deeper implications regarding its standing in global politics and ongoing struggles on the battlefield.
As tensions rise, and with the cancellation of potential peace talks, Putin’s declarations might be seen as strategic moves to communicate power in response to perceived weaknesses.
