Belarus finalizes agreement allowing Russia to deploy Oreshnik ballistic missiles on its territory.

According to WWW1.Ru on February 26, 2025, the lower house of the Belarusian parliament ratified a draft law approving the security treaty between Belarus and Russia within the framework of the Union State. The agreement, signed in Minsk on December 6, 2024, now requires approval from the upper house of parliament before being signed by President Alexander Lukashenko. The treaty formalizes security cooperation between the two nations and establishes mutual defense commitments, including military base arrangements for the Russian Federation on Belarusian territory.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Some reports suggest that the Oreshnik is derived from the RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile program, which was previously discontinued. (Picture source: Russian MoD)

The agreement coincides with discussions regarding the deployment of the Russian Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile system in Belarus. Alexei Polischuk, head of the second department of the CIS countries at the Russian Foreign Ministry, previously stated that deployment would follow the treaty’s ratification. The Oreshnik system, according to official Russian sources, has a maximum range of 5,500 kilometers, a speed of Mach 10 (12,400 km/h), and can carry a warhead weighing up to 1.5 tons. Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that no current missile defense systems are capable of intercepting the Oreshnik.

During a December 6, 2024, meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State, Lukashenko requested the deployment of Oreshnik missiles in Belarus, citing security concerns related to NATO military activities in Poland and Lithuania. He stated that the missile system would serve as a deterrent and align with Belarus’s security policies. Putin responded that deployment could occur in the second half of 2025, depending on the pace of serial production. He specified that while the missiles would be integrated into Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, Belarusian authorities would determine targeting parameters.

The Oreshnik missile system was first used in combat on November 21, 2024, in a strike against a defense-related facility in Dnipro, Ukraine. The Russian government stated that this strike was in response to Ukraine’s authorization of long-range attacks inside Russian territory. Western defense officials, including those from Estonia and the United Kingdom, interpreted the missile launch as a strategic message rather than solely a tactical operation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested that the timing of the strike was intended to influence U.S. policy under President Donald Trump’s administration.

Belarusian officials maintain that security cooperation with Russia does not pose a threat to third countries. On February 26, 2025, Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov, speaking at the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, stated that the presence of Russian nuclear and conventional missile systems in Belarus was a defensive necessity. He referenced Belarus’s decision in the 1990s to relinquish its nuclear arsenal under the Budapest Memorandum and argued that Western security assurances had proven unreliable. Ryzhenkov emphasized that Russian Oreshnik missiles stationed in Belarus would serve a deterrent role in response to NATO military deployments in the region.

Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin has stated that the deployment of Oreshnik and tactical nuclear weapons increases Belarus’s defense capabilities. He noted that the Belarusian Armed Forces are modernizing their equipment and strategy. While he did not specify the exact timeline for the missile system’s deployment, he confirmed that work in this direction was continuing.

Russian officials describe the Oreshnik missile as a hypersonic system capable of penetrating defensive installations. The missile has been reported to deliver high-velocity impacts, with kinetic energy effects comparable to a nuclear strike without radiation consequences. According to Russian statements, multiple Oreshnik missiles launched in coordination could achieve destructive force similar to nuclear weapons.

The possibility of Oreshnik deployment in Belarus has drawn international attention. Western analysts regard it as part of Russia’s broader strategy to exert pressure on NATO and Ukraine. U.S. intelligence assessments indicate that while Russia has started producing the missile, its full capabilities remain uncertain. Some reports suggest that the Oreshnik is derived from the RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile program, which was previously discontinued. Experts have noted concerns about the missile’s precision in conventional strikes, suggesting that it may be more suited for nuclear payloads.

Domestically, Lukashenko has stated that Oreshnik deployment is necessary for national security and that Belarus should retain control over targeting decisions. Russian officials have framed the deployment as fulfilling security obligations under the Union State agreement. The finalization of the treaty and the potential deployment of the Oreshnik missile system in Belarus are expected to remain key issues in regional security discussions throughout 2025.