Russia’s ministry of defense released a video Tuesday showing what it said was the deployment of its nuclear-capable hypersonic Oreshnik missile system in Belarus, a move aimed at strengthening Moscow’s ability to strike targets across Europe in the event of war.
In a statement, the ministry said a ceremonial event was held in the Republic of Belarus to mark the deployment of a unit equipped with the mobile ground-based missile system “Oreshnik” for combat duty.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced that the “Oreshnik” Nuclear-Capable Hypersonic Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) has entered active combat service with the Strategic Rocket Forces in Eastern Belarus. pic.twitter.com/gFm7s0oGf1
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) December 30, 2025
“Specialists in launch crews, communications, security, and power supply, as well as mechanics-drivers of the missile system’s equipment, completed retraining on modern training simulators before assuming combat duty,” the ministry said.
Russia did not disclose the exact location, though U.S. researchers cited by Reuters suggest it may be stationed at a former airbase near Krichev, roughly 190 miles east of Minsk.
In December 2024, Russia announced plans to deploy its Oreshnik missiles to Belarus in 2025. The announcement followed President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Belarus, where he signed a landmark treaty aimed at deepening military cooperation between the two nations.
The Oreshnik missile, equipped with a Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle system, can carry multiple nuclear warheads and strike several targets simultaneously. Putin claimed the missile can travel at speeds up to 10 times the speed of sound, making it effectively immune to interception by current air defense systems.
Russia reportedly first used the missile operationally in November 2024, striking the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, where it hit an industrial facility and a rehabilitation center for people with disabilities.
