Belarusian leader Aliaksandr Lukashenka announced that a Russian missile system known as “Oreshnik” is now stationed in Belarus and has gone on combat duty "since yesterday", according to Belarus’s Ministry of Defense.
“Oreshnik” is a Russian medium-range missile system capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Ukrainian intelligence has reported that the system was first used by Russia against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro in November 2024 in a non-nuclear strike.
Lukashenka frames deployment as 'regional deterrence'
In a separate Defense Ministry Telegram post, Lukashenka was quoted as saying that the deployment of the “Oreshnik” is part of broader strategic cooperation with Russia, which he described as ensuring regional deterrence.
Ukrainian intelligence: Deployment aimed at Europe, not Ukraine
Ukrainian intelligence has previously said the deployment is aimed primarily at Europe. Oleh Ivashchenko, head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, said placing the Oreshnik system in Belarus is intended to pressure the EU and NATO by shortening missile flight times to European capitals.
He added that the system would remain under Russia’s strategic missile command, with Belarus having no independent control over its use.
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