Satellites have spotted Russia's huge submarine that's believed to be armed with Vladimir Putin's "weapon of the apocalypse" nuke torpedos.
Nato had reportedly issued a warning after it lost track of the a 604ft, 30,000 tonne, nuclear-powered submarine.
There were fears that Putin could detonate a nuclear weapon in a strong message to the West.
Satellite pictures by expert naval observers operating in the Barents Sea, a part of the Arctic Ocean, are understood to have spotted the Belgorod submarine in recent days, the Sun reports.
These comparatively shallow waters are currently providing a key battleground for Putin's navy as the coasts belong to both Norway and Russia.
Images showed the submarine surfaced in the Barents on September 22 before another showed it on September 27, one day after the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic.
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Screengrab)The pictures, therefore, are said to bring an end to the question of whether it could have been involved in the sabotage.
Belgorod is the world's largest operational submarine, with the US Navy's Los Angeles class attack vessels and Britain's Astute class much smaller in comparison.
She has been dubbed a "city killer" - its torpedos are 79ft long and carry a nuclear warhead, shooting towards enemy targets beneath the waves at terrifying speeds of about 80mph.
It is understood to weigh around 100 tons and is also fully autonomous, meaning the robotic torpedo can lurk beneath the waves before waiting for the right moment to stealthily detonate its nuclear bomb.
Meanwhile, it's been claimed Putin is preparing to launch a tactical nuclear strike from a bunker a long way outside Moscow.
Putin, who turns 70 on Friday, reportedly warned his closest family members of the possibility of rapid evacuation from the capital of Russia.
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social media/ east2west news)The anti-Kremlin outlet claimed to have inside knowledge from Putin’s circle, and long claimed he was suffering acute health problems but is offering no proof of its assertion.
Among the claims, it is said he has been taking advice from shamans - traditional diviners of good and evil spirits- as he decides whether to launch nuclear missiles.
He believes the bunker is “safe” from Western attacks.
Top officials from his security apparatus and government will be moved to the secret location, according to the General SVR telegram channel.
“Relatives and friends of the heads of state will be delivered to the bunker in advance”, it was stated on the SVR channel earlier today.
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SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images)"Alina Kabaeva with [the couple’s] children and two older daughters with children and cohabitants were warned about the possibility of urgent evacuation."
Fears that Russia's tyrannical leader Vladimir Putin may be plotting to test a nuclear weapon have surged after a convoy was spotted transporting top-secret equipment around the country.
A freight train reportedly owned by the Ministry of Defence's 12th Main Directorate - Moscow's nefarious and secretive nuclear division - was stacked with armoured personnel carriers and other deadly equipment as it was seen travelling through central Russia this weekend.
Footage of the convoy - which is thought to have been en route to the front line in Ukraine - was shared on the pro-Putin Rybar Telegram channel.
Konrad Muzyka, an independent defence analyst specialising in Ukraine, said the directorate is responsible for "nuclear munitions" and their "storage, maintenance, transport and issuance to units".
