First Glimpse of Russias Oreshnik: New Nuclear-Capable Hypersonic Missile System Unveiled

On Tuesday, Russia’s Defense Ministry unveiled images of the launch system for its new nuclear-capable hypersonic ballistic missile, dubbed Oreshnik, marking the announcement of the missile’s deployment in neighboring Belarus for the first time.

A video shared on the ministry’s Telegram channel showed a mobile launcher entering a wooded area and subsequently parking, with military personnel covering the vehicle with camouflage netting.

In a statement accompanying the video, the military indicated, «All necessary conditions have been established for combat readiness and for the accommodation of Russian servicemen.»

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had previously mentioned that the Oreshnik missile would be operational in Belarus by the end of 2025.

The Russian Defense Ministry did not specify the location in Belarus where the missile system would be based. According to Reuters, which cited U.S. researchers, it might be deployed at a former airbase near Krichev, located approximately 307 kilometers (190 miles) east of Minsk.

The missile, which translates to «hazel tree» in Russian, was made public in November 2024 following its use in an attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.

At that time, President Vladimir Putin described the strike as a successful test, framing the missile’s combat debut as a warning to the United States and Britain, who were considering supplying Ukraine with long-range weaponry capable of hitting deep within Russia.

Last month, Putin announced that Russia had begun transitioning to mass production of the Oreshnik, previously asserting that its destructive capabilities were comparable to those of a nuclear weapon and that it could not be intercepted. However, some experts have expressed doubts regarding these assertions.