Belarus's Lukashenko says location for Russian Oreshnik missile system is being picked in his country

Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, has said that there are at least 30 different sites in Belasus where the Russian Oreshnik missile system can be deployed; the site located the closest to the possible targets of these missiles is currently being chosen. Source: Belta, a Belarusian news agency Quote from Lukashenko: "This has all been thought through.

We are currently thinking about where, at what sites, to deploy these weapons [the Oreshnik missile systems - ed.]. We still have the sites where strategic nuclear missiles had been deployed in the past."

Details: According to Lukashenko, Belarus has around 30 sites where Oreshnik could be deployed. "We will choose one, because we need the shortest possible distance to the targets. We will deploy and aim [the Oreshnik missile system]," he said.

He also claimed that Belarus will be in charge of selecting the targets of such attacks, according to an agreement with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. "So we will press the button together if, god forbid, we need to. But we will be the ones deciding on the targets. [Putin] agreed," Lukashenko said. Previously:

• Belarusian self-proclaimed president Alexander Lukashenko has asked Russian leader Vladimir Putin to deploy the Russian Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile system on the territory of Belarus.
• Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have said that the deployment of the Oreshnik ballistic missile system in Belarus does not increase the risks of ballistic missile strikes against Ukraine or NATO countries.

Background:

• Ukraine's Air Force said that during the latest missile attack on the city of Dnipro, Russia used an intercontinental ballistic missile.

  Ukrainska Pravda sources reported that it could have been a Rubezh missile, a potential carrier of nuclear warheads.

• In his address, Putin indirectly confirmed US reports, stating that during the morning attack on Dnipro on 21 November, Russia used the Oreshnik medium-range missile.
• The United States officially confirmed that Russia struck Dnipro on the morning of 21 November with a ballistic missile based on the RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile.
• On 22 November, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine announced that Russia had struck the territory of Ukraine on 21 November using a ballistic missile, probably launched from the Kedr missile system.
• Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, noted that Oreshnik was the name of a research project, "it's just a code".

  He said that as of October 2024, Russia was supposed to have produced two experimental samples of the Kedr missile system, one of which struck Dnipro on 21 November.

• On 28 November, Putin announced the alleged start of mass production of the Oreshnik system.

  He said he could use the Oreshnik missile against "decision-making centres in Kyiv".

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