Belarusian Leader Confirms Russia Deployed Nuclear-Capable Oreshnik Missile

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced Thursday that Russia has stationed its newest nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system in Belarus. This deployment occurs as discussions aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine reach a critical juncture.

According to Lukashenko, the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile system arrived in Belarus on Wednesday and is now operational. Specifics regarding the number of missiles deployed were not provided by the Belarusian president.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had stated on Wednesday that the Oreshnik system would enter active service this month, although he also refrained from offering further details. Putin's announcement was made during a meeting with high-ranking Russian military officials, where he cautioned that Russia intends to expand its territorial control in Ukraine if its demands are not met by Kyiv and its Western allies during peace negotiations.

While the United States, under President Trump, has been actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the nearly four-year-long conflict that followed Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, these efforts have been complicated by the significantly divergent demands of Moscow and Kyiv.

Russia has previously positioned tactical nuclear weapons within Belarus, a country whose territory was used as a launchpad for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Lukashenko has stated previously that his country hosts several dozen Russian tactical nuclear weapons.

The Oreshnik missile, whose name is derived from the Russian word for hazelnut tree, was first tested by Russia in a conventional configuration in November 2024, when it struck a Ukrainian factory. President Putin has asserted that the missile is impossible to intercept. He has also warned that Russia might use it against countries supporting Ukraine that allow strikes inside Russia using long-range missiles provided by the West.

Putin has boasted of the Oreshnik's ability to deliver multiple warheads at speeds reaching Mach 10, making them invulnerable to interception. He has also claimed that a conventional strike using several of these missiles could inflict damage equivalent to a nuclear attack. Russian state media has claimed the missile could reach a Polish airbase in just 11 minutes and NATO headquarters in Brussels in 17 minutes. It is impossible to determine whether the missile carries a nuclear or conventional warhead before impact.

Intermediate-range missiles, like the Oreshnik, are defined as having a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (310 to 3,400 miles). Weapons in this class were prohibited by a Cold War-era treaty that both Washington and Moscow abandoned in 2019.

Both Putin and Lukashenko had earlier indicated that the Oreshnik would be deployed to Belarus before the end of the year.

When signing a security agreement with Lukashenko in December 2024, Putin stated that even though Russia maintains control over the Oreshnik missiles, Belarus would be allowed to select the targets. He further noted that if the missiles were used against targets closer to Belarus, they could carry significantly heavier payloads.

In 2024, the Kremlin updated its nuclear doctrine, declaring that any conventional attack on Russia supported by a nuclear power would be considered a joint attack against Russia. This warning appeared to be aimed at deterring Western nations from allowing Ukraine to strike targets within Russia using long-range weapons and seemingly lowers the bar for potential Russian nuclear weapon use.

The revised Russian doctrine also extends Russia's nuclear protection to Belarus.

Lukashenko has maintained power over Belarus and its 9.5 million citizens for over three decades. His government has faced repeated sanctions from Western nations due to its suppression of human rights and its support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Despite his close relationship with Moscow, Lukashenko has recently pursued improved relations with the United States. On Saturday, he released 123 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, as part of an agreement with Washington that resulted in the lifting of U.S. sanctions against Belarus' potash industry, a vital source of export revenue.