Belarus Prepares for Nuclear Missile Deployment
The Zapad-2025 joint military exercises, scheduled for September 12–16, 2025, will see Russia and Belarus training with Russia's nuclear-capable Oreshnik (Orekh) missile system. The exercises, which will take place near the eastern flank of the EU and NATO, have raised concerns about the militarization of the region.
Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin confirmed the inclusion of the Oreshnik missile system in the drills. The Belarusian authorities have emphasised the defensive nature of the exercises, focusing on testing the Union State's military readiness. The drills will involve practice using the Oreshnik missile, a system described as nuclear-capable, signalling the integration of strategic nuclear weapons components into the joint drills.
The troop participation in Zapad-2025 is officially reported at around 13,000 personnel, a significant decrease from the approximately 200,000 in Zapad-2021. Some sources suggest that the actual numbers might be higher, but Belarus insists on a scaled-down exercise emphasizing defense and de-escalation. The drills will be held deeper inside Belarusian territory, which Minsk interprets as a gesture to reduce regional tensions.
President Vladimir Putin has expressed his desire to put the Orekh missiles into mass production. Last year, Russia tested an "experimental" Orekh missile (without a nuclear warhead) against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, causing international tension.
Belarus, economically and militarily heavily dependent on Russia, has provided its territory for Russia's offensive against Ukraine. Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltic states have repeatedly sounded the alarm about military buildup in Belarus. However, no information is provided about whether Belarus currently possesses Russian nuclear weapons.
The Zapad-2025 exercises are being conducted by Belarus and Russia, and they have invited OSCE members and NATO countries as observers under the Vienna Document transparency agreements. The Belta news agency reported Khrenin's statement about the use of Orekh missiles in the exercises. Putin has threatened that the hypersonic Orekh missile could also hit targets in Western Europe.
As the Zapad-2025 exercises approach, the international community will be closely watching the developments in the region. The inclusion of the Orekh missile system in the drills underscores closer military integration and nuclear deterrence cooperation between Russia and Belarus within the Zapad-2025 framework. The exercises, framed as defensive readiness rather than offensive preparation, remain a topic of concern for the surrounding nations.
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- The international community is paying close attention to the Zapad-2025 exercises, as the inclusion of the Orekh missile system, a nuclear-capable weapon, highlights the growing military integration and nuclear deterrence cooperation between Russia and Belarus.
- The political implications of the Zapad-2025 exercises, occurring amidst ongoing concerns about militarization and war-and-conflicts in the region, are being closely monitored, particularly in relation to employment policy and employment policy within the context of general-news reporting.
