President Vladimir Putin confirmed on Friday that Russia may deploy its advanced Oreshnik intermediate-range hypersonic missile in Belarus by the second half of next year. The announcement came after a summit in Minsk, where Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed a mutual defense pact.

Putin stated that the agreement on security guarantees, signed by both leaders, made the deployment of such formidable weapons, including the Oreshnik, feasible.

He emphasized that the missile’s deployment would be possible as serial production ramps up in Russia, and as the systems become part of the Russian strategic forces.

The Oreshnik missile was tested in combat conditions last month, when Russia launched it against a Ukrainian city. Putin claimed the missile is highly destructive and impossible to intercept, even with a conventional warhead.

While some Western experts remain skeptical about these claims, they note that the missile is based on an intercontinental system Russia had once tested and later put on hold.

Putin also revealed that Belarus, which shares borders with NATO members Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania, would decide on the missile’s targets, using its own territory as a base. The two leaders met to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Union State, an alliance between Russia and Belarus.

In addition, Putin noted that recent changes in Russian policy now lower the threshold for a nuclear strike on Russia and extend the nuclear umbrella to cover Belarus.

Last year, Putin announced that Russia would deploy tactical nuclear missiles in Belarus as a deterrent against the West. Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994, clarified that any use of these weapons would require his personal consent.

Also Read

UN condemns Taliban ban on women from pursuing medical education  

UNITED NATIONS: The UN human rights office, OHCHR, has condemned a new...