As Rouble Collapses Russia Touts War-Readiness with Secret Weapons – Nuclear Missile Trains & Sub-Launched Robots, Drones

As if unmindful of its financial woes that pile up by the day - the falling rouble, the plunging oil prices and the economic sanctions from the West - Russia has decided to uncloak a number of the secret weapons that likely will see action in case of a nuclear showdown with the United States.

Economists are wondering what Russian President Vladimir Putin will prioritise amidst the crises that he has to deal with: Guns or butter?

It is unclear if any of the two occupies the top spot on Putin's to-do list but projecting muscle is definitely not taking the back seat as far as the Kremlin top honcho is concerned.

Latest reports are suggesting that despite the pressures it is facing now, Moscow is not letting its guards down and is in fact ready to tussle with anyone at any time as the nation allowed glimpses on its top-secret military arsenal.

Mobile nuclear missile launchers

Earlier reports that Russia is mulling the revival of the Soviet-era nuclear missile train appear to be coming true as The Moscow Times reported that the not-so secret lethal weapon is set for immediate reactivation.

Relying on train-mounted nuclear missiles is a viable option for the Kremlin if it engages in a shooting war with America, according to Lieutenant General Sergei Karakayev, adding that such platform "proved their effectiveness in the Soviet period."

Karakayev said that Russia's nuclear deployment strategy actually involves three platforms - the nuclear-bearing trains, it truck counterparts and the conventional underground silos.

The Kremlin values truck and train missile launchers for their mobility and stealth features that buy more time to deliver their package before detection by the enemy. The missile trains, however, provide more punch as they can cover more grounds in shorter time.

Robots and drones from nuclear attack submarines

Complementing the land nuclear attack delivery of Russia is its new generation of submarines that will boast of underwater drones and battle robots, according to RT.com, apart from its core design of sending out torpedoes and cruise missiles.

For instance, the flagship of the Yasen-class submarines, the K-329 Severodvinsk, will be equipped with robots that on release will remain silent and get activated from the sub's command centre.

"It will give the submarine time to leave the area, with the drone staying in place to maintain a semblance that the submarine is still there," the report said, somehow giving the Russians the capability to deploy ghost submarines.

Severodvinsk itself is a formidable war machine that packs a submerged speed of 35 knots with highly-computerised functions and features. With that, the sub only requires quite a lean crew of 64 for full operation, the report noted.

Russia plans to commission six more Yasen-class submarines by 2015, RT.com added, further beefing up its naval nuclear capabilities as relations with the U.S. and the West further deteriorate over the annexation of Crimea March this year and the resulting stand-off with Ukraine.