STORY: Russian Defence Ministry on Tuesday (December 30) released video of what it said was the deployment of the Russian nuclear-capable hypersonic Oreshnik missile system in Belarus, a development that bolsters Moscow's ability to deliver missiles across Europe.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a staunch ally of President Vladimir Putin who has also embarked on talks with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, announced the deployment of the intermediate-range ballistic earlier this month.

Some Western experts have said that the deployment, which would make it slightly faster for Russian nuclear missiles to reach European targets in the event of a war, underscores the Kremlin’s growing reliance on the threat of nuclear weapons as it seeks to deter NATO members from supplying Kyiv with weapons that can strike deep inside Russia.

Two U.S. researchers have said that, according to their study of satellite images, Moscow is likely stationing the missiles and their mobile launchers at a former airbase in eastern Belarus.

Video released by the Belarusian Defence Ministry on Tuesday did not disclose the location of the missile systems, but showed mobile launchers and their crews driving along forest roads and specialist troops camouflaging the systems with netting.

A senior officer was shown telling troops that the systems had officially been placed on combat duty and, as light snow fell in the background, speaking of regular training and reconnaissance routines for the missile crews.

Moscow tested a conventionally armed Oreshnik – Russian for Hazel tree - against a target in Ukraine in November 2024. Putin boasts that it's impossible to intercept because of velocities reportedly exceeding Mach 10.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: WHAT IS GIVEN AS MISSILE SYSTEM "ORESHNIK" AND TROOPS ON PATROL / COMMENT BY RUSSIAN MILITARY COMMANDER SAYING THAT MISSILE SYSTEM HAS COMMENCED COMBAT DUTY

SHOWS: UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION (RELEASED DECEMBER 30, 2025) (RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY - Must on screen courtesy: "Russian Defence Ministry")

1. (BLURRED AT SOURCE) VARIOUS OF MILITARY COLUMN WITH WHAT IS GIVEN AS "ORESHNIK" MISSILE SYSTEM DRIVING IN FOREST AREA

2. VARIOUS OF SOLDIER USING FLAGS TO GUIDE TRUCK

3. VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS APPLYING CAMOUFLAGE NETS

UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION (RELEASED DECEMBER 30, 2025) (RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY - Do not obscure logo) (SUBTITLES AT SOURCE)

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN MILITARY COMMANDER, NO NAME GIVEN, SAYING:

"The missile system started combat duty in time. The units have been trained and crews are prepared."

UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION (RELEASED DECEMBER 30, 2025) (RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY - Must on screen courtesy: "Russian Defence Ministry")

5. SOLDIER RISING FLAG

6. VARIOUS OF FLAG RAISING CEREMONY

7. COMMANDER SPEAKING

8. VIEW OF CEREMONY