The hypersonic weapon will be stationed in the country by the end of the year, President Alexander Lukashenko says
Russia’s Oreshik hypersonic missile systems are set to arrive in Belarus by the end of 2025, as agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has said.
The president made the remarks on Tuesday during an event marking the anniversary of Belarus independence.
“We agreed with Putin in Volgograd. The first positions of Oreshnik will be in Belarus. You have seen the performance of Oreshnik. By the end of the year, these weapons will be deployed in Belarus,” Lukashenko stated.
The Russian missiles are expected to be mounted on locally produced chassis. Earlier this year, Lukashenko revealed a handful of such vehicles had already been manufactured and tested.
Russia battle-tested the new missile in November by conducting a strike on a military factory in Ukraine. At the time, Moscow said the demonstration of the advanced weapon was a response to Western authorization allowing Kiev to use donated long-range missiles to strike deep inside Russian territory.
The hypersonic medium-range missile is believed to be nuclear-capable, although Putin had previously stated its conventional form can inflict damage comparable to a low-yield nuclear explosion.
The system is believed to have multiple independently guided warheads, which remain controllable even while traveling at extreme speeds.
