Oreshnik is a medium-range ballistic missile (IRBM) that Russia presents as an experimental weapon capable of bypassing modern air defense systems.
In December 2024, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko asked Moscow to deploy 10 Russian Oreshnik missile systems in Belarus, pro-Kremlin journalist Alexander Yunashov reported on his Telegram channel, as quoted by the Kiev Independent.
"The locations for their deployment have already been determined," Volfovich said, without specifying how many missile systems would be deployed.
On November 21, 2024, Russia fired an Oreshnik missile at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
The Oreshnik missile is designed to carry nuclear weapons, but during the attack it was not armed with a nuclear warhead.
Russia fired the Oreshnik missile at Ukraine after Kiev's first successful use of US-supplied ATACMS missiles against a military target in Russia. Moscow later confirmed additional ATACMS missile strikes against targets in the Kursk and Bryansk regions.
While Russian President Vladimir Putin claims that Russia has begun mass production of the Oreshnik, a US official said that Moscow likely has only "a few" of these experimental missiles.
Belarus is a key ally of Moscow and it was previously reported that Russian tactical nuclear weapons were located on its territory after the two countries signed an agreement in May 2023.
Lukashenko said in December 2023 that the transfer of Russian nuclear weapons to Belarus had been completed in early October.
Despite these claims, the head of Ukrainian foreign intelligence, Oleg Ivashchenko, assured that Belarus has nuclear weapon delivery systems but no warheads. | BGNES