Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko announced on July 1 that the Russian-made Oreshnik missile system will be deployed in Belarus by the end of 2025. Speaking at a ceremony marking Independence Day, Lukashenko stated the decision was made in coordination with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Volgograd. He emphasized that the deployment is intended to maintain domestic stability and serve as a deterrent against potential aggression.
Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994 and claimed victory in a seventh consecutive presidential election in January, argued that hosting such weaponry would not make Belarus a target, adding that such concerns are being ‘imposed from outside.’ He claimed that countries possessing nuclear weapons have historically avoided military aggression and said the presence of such systems in Belarus is intended solely as a deterrent.
Lukashenko reportedly thanked Moscow for supporting the deployment of advanced weapons systems to Belarus and said the introduction of Oreshnik would serve as a tool for domestic stability. ‘I’m confident that even those of our supporters who don’t yet understand this will come to realize it — without a war. That’s why Oreshnik will be on Belarusian soil. To prevent uprisings,’ he said.
Russia first launched the experimental Oreshnik missile during a strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on November 21. Putin claimed the attack was in retaliation for Ukraine’s use of U.S. and British long-range missiles against Russian territory. Although little is publicly known about the missile, defense experts believe it is not a wholly new development but likely an upgraded version of Russia’s RS-26 missile, also known as the Rubezh, which was first produced in 2011.
Lukashenko also said he had delivered a warning to U.S. officials, stating that while nuclear weapons in Belarus are securely stored in accordance with international standards, any unauthorized incursion into Belarusian territory would trigger a ‘swift and forceful response.’ He emphasized that any use of the Oreshnik system would not involve nuclear warheads and that maintaining modern military capabilities is critical for national defense.