The Belarusian Defence Ministry has released a video of the Russian Oreshnik nuclear-capable hypersonic missile, officially confirming its deployment in the country. Interestingly, this comes a few days after Beijing published a video showcasing the test-launch of China’s YJ-20 anti-ship hypersonic missile.
The video published by the Ministry on December 30, 2025, shows mobile launchers moving through forested areas, positioning, and being concealed under camouflage netting by personnel.
“After the missile system was readied for its designated deployment and its inspection by a joint comprehensive group, a battalion of Oreshnik missile launchers has begun to accomplish assignments of its combat duty in designated areas on the territory of our country,” the ministry said in a statement, as reported by TASS.
The visual confirmation came days after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced the deployment.
The exact location of the missile has been withheld by Moscow and Minsk. However, US researchers cited by Reuters who analyzed satellite imagery state that the system may have been deployed at a former airbase near Krichev, just about 307 kilometres east of Minsk and 478 kilometres southwest of Moscow.
The EurAsian Times is currently unable to independently verify these claims.
The Oreshnik missile, which reportedly features a Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV), can carry multiple nuclear warheads and strike different targets with precision was first fired against a target in Ukraine in November 2024.
The test, according to multiple analysts, was a response to the US and UK supplying long-range weapons to Ukraine.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced that the “Oreshnik” Nuclear-Capable Hypersonic Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) has entered active combat service with the Strategic Rocket Forces in Eastern Belarus. pic.twitter.com/gFm7s0oGf1
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) December 30, 2025
Following the test, Putin ordered the deployment of Oreshnik to Belarus on December 6, 2024, in response to Lukashenko’s repeated requests to boost the country’s security, citing threats from neighbouring NATO countries.
Lukashenko, who is seen by the West as a puppet of the Kremlin, earlier said, “[Deploying Oreshnik in Belarus] would seriously calm down some ‘minds’ that are already prepared to wage war against Belarus.”
President Vladimir Putin described the missile as “uninterceptable” because its speed exceeded Mach 10 and even compared it to a meteorite. Further, he emphasized that the missile follows unpredictable trajectories, which allows it to evade most European missile defences.
Along with @DuitsmanMS and @dex_eve, I think we found the first deployment site in Belarus of the the Oreshnik IRBM. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/5iB8X84hbs
— Dr. Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) December 26, 2025
Putin said Oreshnik is an extraordinarily destructive weapon, claiming that its warheads can reach temperatures of over 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and emphasized that a simultaneous launch of multiple missiles could cause devastation similar to a nuclear strike.
Notably, the missile entered serial production in November 2025, as announced by the Russian President himself.
Several pro-Russian analysts have stated that the deployment aims to strengthen regional deterrence against NATO threats, the deployment of intermediate-range US missiles (the SM-6) in Germany, and Ukraine’s long-range strikes into Russia.
However, experts have dismissed Belarus’ concerns as a facade, and alleged that the deployment of Oreshnik builds on prior deployments of Russian tactical nuclear weapons (such as Iskander short-range ballistic missile) in Belarus, and a 2024 security pact that extends Russia’s nuclear umbrella over the country, allowing Belarus to select targets while Russia retains operational control.
Analysts have expressed fears that it also bolsters Russia’s ability to deliver devastating missile strikes on NATO states using Belarus as a launchpad.
The Oreshnik has a range of over 5,000 kilometres, placing much of Europe, including NATO headquarters in Brussels and countries like Poland, Lithuania, and Germany, within striking distance.
Ukrainian officials earlier said that the Oreshnik deployed in Belarus can reach Kyiv in under two minutes, adding that it could be used to target European capitals instead of Ukraine.
Putin has, in fact, directly challenged NATO with Oreshnik.
“If they doubt the Oreshnik (Hazel), let them suggest a target for us to hit, maybe something in Kyiv. They can concentrate all their air defence and missile defence forces there, and we will strike. Let’s see what happens. We are ready for such an experiment,” Putin said last year, describing the missile as “modern, very new” and part of Russia’s advanced military technology.
The deployment of Oreshnik to Belarus comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and NATO. Earlier this month, for instance, NATO chief Mark Rutte warned that Russia could attack a NATO country within the next five years, and implored the states to prepare for a war.
Meanwhile, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has clarified that his country was not interested in going to war with Europe, but it was ready “right now” if Europe wanted to.
China Tested The YJ-20
China recently tested the YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile, as seen in a video published by China Military Bugle, an official account under the PLA News Media Center.
The missile was seen being fired from the Type 055 destroyer Wuxi during what was described as a “finalization test,” which is considered a final major trial before a weapon system completes its design phase and is ready to enter production.
The video showed the missile emerging from one of the ship’s aft vertical launch system (VLS) cells using a cold-launch technique, in which the missile is forced out of the canister by gas pressure before its motor ignites.
As seen in the video, the missile’s solid-fuel motor ignites after ejection and quickly accelerates away, perhaps headed for a naval target.
No specific details on range, speed, or test location were provided. However, we know that the YJ-20 is one of the many missiles unveiled during and before China’s Victory Day Parade on September 3, 2025.
An official Chinese media account China Military Bugle on Sunday unveiled the moment when a YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile was launched from a Type 055 large destroyer of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy. It shows the finalization test of a ship-to-ship missile… pic.twitter.com/Iq00Ek1kS3
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) December 28, 2025
Like most Chinese systems, the YJ-20 remains a closely-guarded secret. However, Chinese military analysts revealed that the YJ-20 is designed to strike surface targets at a near-vertical angle in its terminal phase, similar to a ballistic missile trajectory, while sustaining hypersonic speeds, making it challenging for conventional shipboard defences to neutralise.
Design-wise, it features a biconic aerodynamic shape that supports maneuverable re-entry and gliding flight after an initial rocket boost.
According to analysts, it is a boost-glide hypersonic missile that is intended to target valuable naval assets at long ranges. The estimated range of the missile is between 1,000 and 1,500 kilometres, which is comparable to that of other Chinese anti-ship systems unveiled in recent times.
Undisputed leader of the global hypersonic race, China is assembling a lethal fleet of anti-ship hypersonic missiles, including the YJ-21, YJ-17, and YJ-19, among others.
This is part of a larger strategy to expand its hypersonic anti-ship capabilities across surface ships, submarines, and air platforms, as explained in a detailed EurAsian Times report. The missile could also potentially have a backup land-attack capability against stationary targets with established coordinates.
Hypersonic missiles are particularly well-suited for employment against time-sensitive targets. The PLAN (People’s Liberation Army Navy) could use the YJ-20 against high-value surface vessels, such as aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and cruisers, as part of the country’s expanding anti-access and area-denial (A2/AD) doctrine.
In summary, it is safe to say that with Russia and China deploying hypersonic missiles, the threat to the US and NATO may be increasing manifold.
- Contact the author at sakshi.tiwari13 (at) outlook.com
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