In a speech to the Federal Assembly today, Mr Putin boasted Russia had developed missiles that no other nation possesses.
And in a thinly-veiled threat to the west, he said: “Russia remained a nuclear power, but no one wanted to listen to us. Listen to us now.”
The arsenal includes a new supersonic weapon that cannot be tracked by anti-missile systems, it is claimed.
Underwater drones that can carry nuclear warheads are also being tested by the secretive nation, the President said.
Once operational, they could be used to strike against aircraft and launch attacks on enemy shores.
And the Russian despot said military chiefs had an operational ballistic missile with a limitless range.
Mr Putin claimed his army’s operation in Syria showed Russia’s increased military might.
The leader also warned Moscow would regard a nuclear attack on its allies as an attack on Russia itself and would immediately respond.
He said: “We would consider any use of nuclear weapons against Russia or its allies to be a nuclear attack on our country.
“The response would be immediate.”
He added Russia was also strengthening its military, transport and scientific infrastructure in the Arctic to safeguard its interests in the strategically important region.
More to follow.