Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko believes that if the Russian government decides to deploy Russia's Oreshnik hypersonic missile system in Belarus, Minsk should be the one to identify potential targets for this medium-range missile.
"We have certain locations where these weapons can be placed. There is only one condition - the targets of these weapons will be determined by the military and political leaders of Belarus," Lukashenko said.
The Belarusian president believes that if the Oreshnik hypersonic missile is placed in the country, Russia will initially be responsible for all launches and maintenance.
According to the Belarusian leader, the deployment of Oreshnik missiles in the country "will significantly strengthen the defense capabilities of our alliance and, above all, the territory of Belarus."
He emphasized the advantages of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile. This hypersonic missile is not a nuclear weapon but has the destructive power equivalent to a nuclear weapon without causing any pollution or potential radioactive fallout.
Belarusian President Lukashenko said that the requirements he just mentioned in deploying Russia's new hypersonic missiles are in the best interests of the Belarusian state.
Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov said that having the Oreshnik missile system on Belarusian territory would strengthen the country's negotiating position with the West in any future negotiations.
“Of course, everything will be much easier,” Maxim Ryzhenkov affirmed.
Asked about potential sanctions against Belarus over the Oreshnik missiles, Belarus' top diplomat stressed: "They have imposed so many sanctions that it is difficult to imagine what other sanctions they could impose."
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced after a meeting of the Supreme State Council of Russia and Belarus in Minsk on December 6 that Russia's Oreshnik missile system could be deployed to Belarus in the second half of 2025. Earlier, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko revealed that he had asked the Russian leader to deploy Oreshnik in Belarus.
