Russia announces the deployment of its nuclear-capable hypersonic Oreshnik missile system in Belarus on December 30, 2025. The Russian Defense Ministry releases video footage showing mobile launchers and troops placing the systems on combat duty. This move positions advanced missiles closer to NATO borders, heightening European security concerns.
Western experts view it as nuclear signaling to deter deeper involvement in Ukraine. Some downplay its battlefield impact but note symbolic escalation.
The Oreshnik serves as an intermediate-range ballistic missile with hypersonic speeds exceeding Mach 10. It carries conventional or nuclear warheads and boasts a range up to 5,500 km. President Vladimir Putin claims it remains uninterceptable. Russia first tests it in combat against Ukraine in November 2024.
Deployment in Belarus likely at a former airbase near Krichev shortens flight times to Euro. Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko discuss the deployment in 2024-2025 meetings. Russia frames it as a response to U.S. missile placements in Germany and NATO support for Ukraine. open capitals. Russian media claims it could reach Poland in 11 minutes and Brussels in 17.
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