Putin: Oreshnik deployment in Belarus possible in H2 2025
The deployment of the newest Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile system Oreshnik in Belarus is possible in the second half of 2025 – after the start of mass production, Russian President Vladimir Putin said after today’s meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State in Minsk
Commenting on the request of Belarus’ President Aleksandr Lukashenko on the possibility of deploying the Oreshnik system in Belarus, Vladimir Putin noted that the parties had signed a treaty on security guarantees within the Union State framework, which is of fundamental importance. The document defines mutual allied obligations to ensure the defence of Belarus and Russia.
The Russian leader emphasised that the latest Oreshnik-type systems are unrivalled in the world, “In the case of group use, they are comparable to the use of nuclear weapons, but they are not weapons of mass destruction.… As for the possibility of placing such, frankly speaking, formidable weapons as the Oreshnik on the territory of Belarus — since today we have signed a treaty on security guarantees with [the possibility] of all available forces and means, I believe that the deployment of such complexes on the territory of Belarus is possible.”
Vladimir Putin specified that this would be possible in the second half of 2025, ‘as the serial production of such complexes increases in Russia and as these missile systems enter service with the Russian Strategic Forces’, “Of course, there are a number of technical issues that need to be settled by specialists, particularly, the definition of the minimum range, taking into account the priorities of ensuring Belarus’ security.”
The Russian President added that Belarus still has infrastructure capabilities from the USSR times, so the deployment of such complexes in the republic will be associated with minimal costs for the preparation of infrastructure.
“Of course, despite the fact that they [Oreshnik complexes] will be part of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, nevertheless, it will certainly be up to the military and political leadership of Belarus to determine the targets on the territory of a probable enemy. We will discuss all this in the working mode, I can only say: the shorter the range, the more powerful the warhead,” Vladimir Putin said.
