RT reported that on January 26, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that Belarus is about to receive the modern Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic missile system from Russia.
According to Mr. Lukashenko, the Oreshnik system will be deployed near the Belarus-Russia border, in the area near Smolensk, about 60km from the Belarus border. Mr. Lukashenko also did not rule out the possibility that the system could be moved to another location in the future.
"We will have Oreshnik literally any day. We have agreed with President Vladimir Putin that the next system will be delivered to Belarus even earlier than to Russia," Lukashenko said, but admitted that the exact delivery date has not yet been set.
President Lukashenko explained that the deployment site was chosen based on the system's technical specifications. "If the target is too close, it will be ineffective, but if it is too far, the missile's payload capacity will be limited," he said.
The Oreshnik hypersonic missile system can carry multiple warheads, including nuclear warheads, and was used in combat in November, when it attacked the Yuzhmash military facility in Dnepr, Ukraine, attracting attention because the warhead traveled 10 times the speed of sound, making it impossible to intercept by any existing air defense system.
President Lukashenko has expressed his desire to possess at least 10 Oreshnik systems, but due to economic limitations and Russia's internal needs, he admitted that only one system would be enough to protect Belarus.
Belarus has been a strategic partner of Russia since 1999, and the relationship has been further strengthened after the escalation of the Ukrainian conflict in 2022. Following NATO's increased military presence in Europe, Russia and Belarus signed a new security treaty, which includes plans to deploy Oreshnik systems in Belarus by 2025.
Not stopping at Oreshnik, in 2023, Russia will also send tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus at Mr. Lukashenko's request. This is a response to NATO's deployment of medium-range weapons systems in Europe.
Meanwhile, in the presidential election on January 26, Mr. Lukashenko won an overwhelming victory with 86.82% of the votes, extending his 7th consecutive term in power until 2030. He emphasized that the stability and security of Belarus remain the top priority.
Despite facing criticism from the West, President Lukashenko declared Belarus a country of “stability, order, and hospitality.” He also reiterated that strategic decisions, including the deployment of Oreshnik, were made to protect the country amid growing international instability.
President Lukashenko is the first and only leader of Belarus after its independence, he has led the country since 1994, serving six consecutive terms over the past three decades.
