Russia has deployed units equipped with its “city killer” Oreshnik “indestructible and nuclear-capable” medium-range ballistic missile system to Belarus, according to Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, in a move likely to heighten concerns over Moscow’s use of its closest ally as a strategic base for the war.
Oleh Ivashchenko, head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence Directorate, or HUR, said units from Russia’s 101st Missile Brigade were already operating in Belarus.
The deployment comes amid continuing efforts by Moscow to deepen military co-operation with Minsk and expand its ability to project force against Ukraine from Belarusian territory.
However, Ukrainian intelligence said it had detected no evidence that Belarusian forces were preparing to take part directly in an invasion of Ukraine.
The threat of a new ground offensive from Ukraine’s northern border therefore remained limited for now, according to Mr Ivashchenko.
Read more related news:
Russian missiles hit British-owned factory as Putin takes war deep into civilian industry
Former MI6 chief sees 2027 as possible opening for Ukraine peace talks
Ellwood warns it’s ‘only a matter of time’ before Putin launches a Novichok style attack on a prominent Brit
Lavrov warns Germany is ‘at war’ with Russia in a chilling escalation
Kyiv is nevertheless increasingly concerned about Belarus’s role in supporting Russian air operations.
“However, we are concerned about Belarus being granted permission to deploy radio signal relay stations on its territory, which are used to guide Russian Shahed-type strike drones toward Ukrainian civilian targets and critical infrastructure,” Ivashchenko said.
The relay infrastructure could improve Russia’s ability to direct Iranian-designed Shahed drones towards targets inside Ukraine, adding another dimension to Belarus’s involvement in the conflict despite Minsk’s forces not having formally entered the war.
Ivashchenko said units from the Russian Armed Forces’ 101st Missile Brigade had also been deployed in Belarus. The formation is equipped with the Oreshnik missile system, a medium-range ballistic weapon that Moscow has increasingly highlighted as part of its strategic arsenal.
He argued that the deployment raised wider questions about the degree of control exercised by Belarusian authorities over Russian military activity within the country.
Even if Minsk had not explicitly authorised the stationing of the weapons, Ivashchenko said, their presence would demonstrate that the Belarusian government no longer had full control over Russian activities on its own territory.
The claims come as Moscow continues to rely on Belarus for military infrastructure and logistical support in its war against Ukraine.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the Belarusian opposition leader, has previously warned that Russia could use Belarusian territory to escalate tensions further and stage provocations against Nato countries.
The growing military integration between Moscow and Minsk has also raised questions about Belarus’s role in Russia’s defence industrial supply chain.
According to recent reports, the Oreshnik missile system now contains relatively few foreign-made components, with a significant number of parts manufactured in Belarus.
The development highlights the increasing importance of Belarus to Russia’s military effort, both as a potential launch platform for attacks and as a contributor to the production of weapons used in the conflict.
For Kyiv, the immediate risk of a Belarusian ground intervention may remain low. But the presence of Russian missile units and drone-support infrastructure suggests Belarus is becoming an increasingly important extension of Moscow’s military capabilities on Ukraine’s northern flank.
Leave a Comment