The nuclear-capable weapon can carry multiple individually targetable warheads that retain control at hypersonic speeds
Russia’s cutting-edge nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missile system has entered service in Belarus, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has announced.
In a statement on Tuesday, the ministry said the medium-range system has officially “assumed combat duty.” It also released the first-ever official footage of the system, showing its delivery and installation in Belarus, along with a ceremony marking the commencement of its combat duty.
“All conditions for combat duty and accommodation of Russian personnel were prepared in advance in Belarus,” the ministry noted, adding that crews responsible for launch, communications, security, and power supply “underwent retraining on modern facilities” before entering service. The personnel are now exploring new patrol areas and conducting reconnaissance.
Unveiled in November 2024, an Oreshnik carrying conventional warheads struck a major military plant in Ukraine in what Moscow called a successful “combat test.” It is capable of delivering multiple independently targetable warheads (MIRVs) at hypersonic speeds, with each warhead maintaining guidance and maneuverability even during the final approach, making interception extremely difficult.
Russian officials have likened its conventional destructive power to that of a low-yield nuclear strike, highlighting its dual strategic and tactical potential. By comparison, Western militaries currently lack a directly equivalent hypersonic MIRV-capable system, giving Oreshnik a unique edge in speed, maneuverability, and multi-target strike capability.
Up to ten systems are slated for deployment in Belarus under an agreement reached between Minsk and Moscow shortly after the missile’s initial combat test.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced in a parliamentary address this month that the Oreshnik systems had arrived in Belarus on December 17. Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Muraveyko said last week the combat patrol areas are set and the system is fully operational and ready for use.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a mid-December address to the Defense Ministry, said the Oreshnik will also enter combat in Russia before the end of the year. He emphasized that the system is part of Russia’s new weaponry meant to “ensure strategic parity, security, and global positions of Russia for decades to come.”
