Listen to the article
Russia Deploys Nuclear-Capable Missile System to Belarus Amid Ukraine Peace Talks
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko announced Thursday that Russia has deployed its advanced nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system to Belarus, a significant military development that coincides with delicate peace negotiations over the Ukraine conflict.
According to Lukashenko, the intermediate-range ballistic missile system arrived Wednesday and is now entering combat duty. The authoritarian leader, who has ruled Belarus for more than three decades, did not specify how many missiles have been deployed or provide additional technical details.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously indicated that the Oreshnik would enter combat duty this month. During a meeting with top Russian military officials on Wednesday, Putin warned that Moscow would seek to expand its territorial gains in Ukraine if Kyiv and Western allies reject the Kremlin’s demands in ongoing peace talks.
The deployment marks an escalation in Russia’s military positioning in Belarus, a country that served as a staging ground for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia had already stationed tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, with Lukashenko previously claiming his country hosts “several dozen” Russian tactical nuclear weapons.
The Oreshnik missile, whose name translates to “hazelnut tree” in Russian, was first tested with conventional warheads against a Ukrainian factory in November 2024. Putin has repeatedly boasted about the missile’s capabilities, claiming it can travel at speeds up to Mach 10 and is “impossible to intercept.” Russian state media reports suggest the missile could reach NATO targets in Poland in just 11 minutes and NATO headquarters in Brussels in 17 minutes.
Military experts note that one of the concerning aspects of the system is that there is no way to determine whether an Oreshnik missile is carrying a nuclear or conventional warhead before impact. Intermediate-range missiles like the Oreshnik can travel between 500 to 5,500 kilometers (310 to 3,400 miles) – a category of weapons previously banned under a Soviet-era treaty that the United States and Russia abandoned in 2019.
When signing a security pact with Lukashenko in December 2024, Putin stated that while Russia would maintain control of the Oreshnik systems, Belarus would be allowed to select potential targets. The Russian leader also noted that missiles targeting locations closer to Belarus could carry significantly heavier payloads.
The deployment comes at a particularly sensitive moment in international relations. U.S. President Donald Trump has recently intensified diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year conflict in Ukraine, though these initiatives have encountered difficulties reconciling the fundamentally different demands from Moscow and Kyiv.
Adding to the complex geopolitical picture, Russia recently revised its nuclear doctrine, stating that any conventional attack on Russia supported by a nuclear power would be considered a joint attack on the country. This revision appears designed to discourage Western nations from allowing Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia with longer-range weapons and potentially lowers the threshold for Russia’s use of nuclear weapons. The updated doctrine also explicitly places Belarus under Russia’s nuclear umbrella.
Despite Belarus’s close alignment with Moscow, Lukashenko has recently shown signs of seeking improved relations with the West. On Saturday, his government released 123 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, as part of a deal with Washington that lifted U.S. sanctions against Belarus’s potash industries – a crucial source of export revenue for the country.
However, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya expressed concern about the missile deployment, telling The Associated Press on Thursday that it “deepens Belarus’s military and political dependence on Russia.”
“The deployment of Oreshnik turns Belarus into a target and militarizes the country, and we stand categorically against it,” Tsikhanouskaya said. “Putin is using Lukashenko as a tool for the Kremlin’s games.”
The missile deployment represents another complicating factor in the increasingly volatile European security landscape as diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict continue amid heightened tensions between Russia and NATO.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
15 Comments
The introduction of the Oreshnik missile system to Belarus is a significant military development that could have far-reaching implications. It will be crucial for the international community to closely monitor the situation and push for a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing Ukraine crisis.
The news of Russia deploying its latest nuclear-capable missile system to Belarus is deeply concerning. This escalation of military posturing could have serious implications for regional stability and the ongoing efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. It is critical that all parties involved prioritize de-escalation and a return to the negotiating table.
This is a concerning development that heightens the regional tensions. The deployment of nuclear-capable missiles to Belarus is a clear signal of Russia’s willingness to escalate the conflict. It is crucial that all parties involved exercise restraint and focus on finding a diplomatic solution to end the Ukraine crisis.
I agree. The introduction of these advanced missile systems is a dangerous provocation that could lead to further escalation. It is essential that the international community remains vigilant and continues to push for a negotiated settlement that addresses the underlying issues and concerns.
This is a concerning escalation in the geopolitical tensions between Russia and the West. The deployment of nuclear-capable missiles to Belarus raises the stakes and increases the risk of miscalculation. Maintaining open communication channels and focusing on diplomatic solutions should be the top priority.
Absolutely. This move by Russia further complicates an already volatile situation. All sides must exercise restraint and engage in constructive dialogue to find a peaceful resolution that addresses the underlying issues and concerns.
Russia’s decision to station these advanced missile systems in Belarus is a concerning move that heightens regional tensions. It will be important for all parties to exercise restraint and focus on diplomatic solutions to end the Ukraine conflict.
Agreed. The deployment of nuclear-capable weapons is a dangerous provocation that could further inflame the situation. All sides must prioritize de-escalation and a negotiated settlement to prevent the conflict from spiraling out of control.
This is certainly an alarming development. The deployment of nuclear-capable missiles to Belarus raises the stakes in the ongoing conflict and could further destabilize the region. It will be critical to monitor the situation closely and maintain open lines of communication to avoid miscalculation.
I share your concern. The escalation of military posturing on both sides raises the risk of a direct confrontation. De-escalation and a return to diplomatic negotiations should be the priority to find a peaceful resolution.
The deployment of Russia’s nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system to Belarus is a concerning development that heightens regional tensions. This escalation of military posturing could have serious implications for the ongoing efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. It is crucial that all parties involved exercise restraint and prioritize diplomatic solutions to de-escalate the situation.
This is a concerning development that further heightens the tensions in the region. The deployment of nuclear-capable missiles to Belarus is a clear signal of Russia’s willingness to escalate the conflict. It is crucial that all parties involved exercise restraint and prioritize diplomatic solutions to end the Ukraine crisis.
I agree. This move by Russia is a dangerous provocation that could lead to further escalation and instability. It is essential that the international community remains vigilant and continues to push for a negotiated settlement that addresses the underlying issues and concerns.
Absolutely. The introduction of these advanced missile systems is a significant escalation that raises the stakes. All parties must prioritize de-escalation and a return to constructive dialogue to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The news of Russia deploying its advanced Oreshnik missile system to Belarus is deeply troubling. This escalation of military posturing could have serious consequences for regional stability and the ongoing efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. It is imperative that all parties involved prioritize de-escalation and a return to the negotiating table.