"Regarding the possibility of deploying formidable weapons such as Oreshnik in Belarus, when today the two countries signed an agreement on ensuring security with the use of all available forces and means, the deployment of systems such as Oreshnik in Belarus is possible" - TASS quoted Mr. Putin as saying after a meeting with the Supreme State Council of the Federal Republic.
The Russian leader added that the deployment of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile will become a reality in the second half of 2025, as mass production of these missile systems in Russia has increased and the Oreshnik has been put into use in the Russian strategic missile force.
President Putin also warned about the need to resolve some technical problems before deploying the Oreshnik missile in Belarus.
"Of course, there are some technical issues that need to be addressed by experts, specifically the determination of the minimum range taking into account Belarus' security priorities. This issue needs to be considered by experts, Putin noted.
The Russian president said that deploying the Oreshnik missile in Belarus would not require large costs.
"I think there is a chance to deploy the Oreshnik in Belarus because it only requires minimal costs. Belarus still maintains certain infrastructure inherited from the Soviet era, so the deployment of such systems in Belarus would require minimal spending on setting up and operating the infrastructure, Putin explained.
Previously, Mr. Putin mentioned some technical aspects when comparing the Oreshnik hypersonic missile and nuclear weapons. "Of course, advanced systems like the Oreshnik have no counterpart in the world. In the case of group use, they have the same effect as nuclear weapons, but they are not weapons of mass destruction," Putin said.
The Russian leader emphasized two outstanding features of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile.
"First, unlike weapons of mass destruction, Oreshnik is a high-precision weapon. Oreshnik does not attack a wide area and achieves results not thanks to strength but thanks to accuracy.
Second, in the case of using groups of 1, 2 or 3 missiles, the impact of Oreshnik is similar to that of nuclear weapons, but they do not pollute the terrain or cause any radiological consequences" - Mr. Putin informed.
On November 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that in response to the West's use of long-range weapons targeting Russian territory, the latest non-nuclear medium-range ballistic missile Oreshnik was launched for the first time at Ukraine's defense industry facility, the Yuzhmash plant.
