Vladimir Putin’s ‘Doomsday’ plane that can survive nuclear blast raided by ‘gold robbers’ in humiliating security breach

VLADIMIR Putin’s special ‘Doomsday’ plane which the Kremlin claims can survive a nuclear blast has been raided by “gold robbers”, reports say.

In a humiliating major security breach, the supposedly-impenetrable aircraft designed for the Russian strongman leader was targeted by a daring band of thieves.

Some 39 pieces of radio equipment were stolen after a cargo hatch was cracked open, the reports from Moscow say.

The equipment contained gold and platinum, which is reportedly seen as a possible motive for the theft.

The embarrassing heist came when the Ilyushin Il-80 Maxdome was undergoing a refit in the city of Taganrog, on the Sea of Azov.

A transport police source told Interfax: “Beriev Aircraft Company reported that a cargo hatch breach was discovered during an inspection of one of the aircraft.”

Police have found finger and shoe prints at the scene, it has been reported.

The windowless Il-80 is one of four so-called Doomsday planes designed to act as a flying Kremlin in the sky in the event of a nuclear attack.

Putin would be able to rule Russia and issue commands to his military – including ordering nuke strikes - from the airborne command post.

The US equivalent are the Boeing E-4B planes based on the 747 airliner – which to date, have never been broken into and robbed.

Russia had earlier announced it was replacing the Il-80 with a plane based on the upgraded Il-96-400M wide-body airliner.

Despite this, a refit on the Il-80 was underway.

Russia has previously showcased the aircraft at Red Square military displays.