Russia allegedly deploys Oreshnik missile in Belarus at former airbase
Russia is likely preparing to deploy new nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missiles in Belarus, increasing the threat to European countries. Reuters reports this with reference to the analysis of satellite images by Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and Decker Eveleth of the CNA analytical organisation. Reuters
The researchers said they were 90% certain that the Oreshnik mobile launchers were being prepared for deployment at an abandoned air base near the town of Krichev, about 307 km east of Minsk and 478 km southwest of Moscow. The range of the complex is estimated to be up to 5,500 km.
The article says that Russia tested the Oreshnik with a non-nuclear warhead against a target in Ukraine in November 2024, and Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed that the missile was supposedly impossible to intercept due to its Mach 10 speed.
Signs of preparation for the site include accelerated construction work that began between 4 and 12 August, the emergence of a secure railway junction for the transshipment of military cargo, and the construction of a concrete pad partially masked by a layer of soil.
Alexander Lukashenko has previously said that Belarus could deploy up to 10 such missiles, but researchers believe that the site near Krychev will only accommodate up to three launchers, and the rest could be dispersed to other locations.
Reuters also notes that the possible deployment comes ahead of the expiration of the New START treaty, the latest US-Russian agreement to limit strategic nuclear weapons.
Photo: Reuters
