Russia intends to use its new Oreshnik missile system, which was recently used against Ukraine for the first time, in neighboring Belarus as a deterrent to the West.
“These structures will be used with the Russian Strategic Missile Forces and, similarly, we will start using them on the territory of Belarus,” President Vladimir Putin said in Minsk on Friday in talks with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
Putin called the second half of 2025 as the date of deployment of what he described as a “bad” weapon.
Russia fired the newly developed medium-range missile over the Ukrainian city of Dnipro in November as a warning and deterrent.
According to Moscow, this was a reaction to Ukraine's approval of the use of Western long-range missiles to attack Russian territory.
Lukashenko, whose country borders Ukraine and backed an all-out invasion by Russia in 2022, also urged Putin to stop a new missile in Belarus.
In Friday's meeting, the two presidents also signed an agreement on security guarantees.
With this, nuclear-armed Russia assured its neighbor of the full use of its arsenal in the event of an imminent attack from outside.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Putin has installed strategic nuclear weapons in Belarus, but control of the war lies with Moscow.
Minsk and Moscow celebrate 25 years as a union state
Meanwhile, in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, both states on Friday celebrated the 25th anniversary of the establishment of their unified state, which until now has existed mostly on paper.
However, the new agreement on security guarantees lays down obligations to protect and defend the sovereignty and independence of both Belarus and Russia.
During his visit, Putin recalled that the use of nuclear weapons is included in Russia's new nuclear doctrine.
According to this, Russia can also use its nuclear weapons in the event of an attack with conventional weapons and a threat related to Russia's existence.
Lukashenko, regarded as Europe's last dictator, has clung to power largely because of Putin. The 70-year-old suspect will run for president again in January after more than 30 years in power.
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