In tones reminicent of the way the defunct Soviet Union used to announce space missions, Russian President Putin said yesterday that his country is working on "weapons that not a single other nuclear power has, or will have, in the near future."

This sounds like he's building the Death Star, but apparently refers to other, more normal weapons. The new, sea-launched, supposedly Star Wars-proof Bulava is the prime candidate. Playing it up like this plays well at home, of course.

Still, when the head of Russia starts sounding like Khrushchev or Emperor Palpatine, it can still make the world do a double-take.