Speaking alongside Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Valaam Island near St. Petersburg, Putin confirmed that the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile had officially entered service and that locations for deployment in Belarus had already been chosen. “Preparatory work is ongoing, and most likely we will be done with it before the year’s end,” he said.
“The first series of Oreshniks and their systems have been produced and entered military service,” Putin added. According to Russian officials, the missile can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads.
The missile, named after the Russian word for hazelnut tree, was first used in combat in November when it was fired at a missile factory in Dnipro, Ukraine. Russian authorities state that it is capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 10.
“Its multiple warheads that plunge to a target at speeds up to Mach 10 are immune to being intercepted,” Putin claimed. “So powerful that the use of several of them in one conventional strike could be as devastating as a nuclear attack.”
Putin also addressed Western military support for Ukraine, warning of possible responses if such weapons are used to strike Russian territory. “We’re warning the West. If Kyiv uses NATO-supplied missiles to strike Russia, we could respond using systems like Oreshnik, even beyond Ukraine,” he said.
The expected range of the Oreshnik covers all of Europe, making its planned stationing in Belarus a key development. Belarus, which borders Ukraine, has previously allowed the presence of Russian troops and tactical nuclear weapons on its territory.
A security agreement signed by Putin and Lukashenko last year placed Belarus under what Russia calls its “nuclear umbrella”. The arrangement gives Moscow the option to use nuclear weapons stationed in Belarus in the event of a perceived threat.
