This is the moment Russian missile systems were loaded onto a train in the far east of the country before they are shipped west to Belarus amid rising tensions between NATO and Moscow.
The incident took place in the Khabarovsk Krai region on January 24 which has led many to speculate that the former Soviet superpower may be on the verge of invading its neighbour Ukraine.
S-400 missile systems were loaded on the train which was carried on a trailer pulled by a lorry. The soldiers could also be seen placing various aids for the wheels of the vehicles to drive on as they were loaded onto the train.
The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement: ‘Two divisions of the S-400 ‘Triumph’ air defence missile system of the Air Defence Forces, involved in the verification of the reaction forces of the Union State, loaded equipment onto railway platforms in the Khabarovsk Territory.
‘Upon arrival at the places where the training tasks are performed, the Russian military personnel will carry out equipment and camouflage of launch positions, maintenance of equipment and take up combat training for air defence as part of the Unified Regional Air Defence System of Belarus and Russia.’
The S-400 missile system, officially codenamed Triumph, is a mobile surface-to-air missile system that went into service in 2007. It is currently considered one of the best air defence systems currently on the market.