Putin revealed that the Russian military has already selected deployment sites for the Oresonik missiles in Belarus. “Preparations are underway, and this may be completed before the end of the year,” he stated. He also confirmed that the first batch of Oresonik missiles has already been produced and integrated into the armed forces.
Russia reportedly used this missile for the first time in November against Ukraine, targeting a missile factory in the city of Dnipro — a facility with a long history of missile production since the Soviet era. Praising the missile's capabilities, Putin said that it is nearly impossible to intercept due to its multiple warheads descending simultaneously at extremely high speeds. He added that if launched in large numbers, these conventional missiles could cause devastation comparable to nuclear attacks.
Putin also warned Western nations that if NATO members provide Ukraine with long-range missiles capable of striking inside Russian territory, Russia may retaliate using the Oresonik missile. The head of Russia’s missile forces stated that Oresonik is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads and has a range that covers all of Europe. These types of missiles, which can strike targets from 500 to 5,500 kilometers away, were previously restricted under a treaty that the U.S. and Russia dissolved in 2019.
Last year, Putin and Lukashenko signed a security agreement in which Russia pledged to protect Belarus and, if necessary, use nuclear weapons in its defense. This agreement marked a significant shift in Russia's nuclear doctrine by extending its nuclear shield to include Belarus for the first time.
Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus for over 30 years, heavily relies on Kremlin’s political and economic support. In 2022, he allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory to launch its invasion of Ukraine. Currently, Belarus also hosts several Russian nuclear weapons, although Russia has not disclosed the exact number. Lukashenko had stated in December that Belarus now possesses several dozen such weapons.
Belarus shares a 1,084-kilometer-long border with Ukraine, giving Russia strategic advantage to quickly launch aerial and missile attacks on Ukraine and NATO member states in Eastern Europe. Last year, Putin approved a new nuclear doctrine stating that Russia could use nuclear weapons if it or its allies are attacked with nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction, or if conventional weapons threaten the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Russia or Belarus.
000
