Russia Deploys Oreshnik System in Belarus, Shows Support Vehicles but Not Launcher

Belarus announced that the Russian Oreshnik missile system has been placed on combat duty on its territory.

The Belarusian Ministry of Defence released footage of the deployment ceremony on December 30.

The system is operated and maintained by personnel from the Russian Armed Forces.

“After the system was brought to readiness for its intended use and inspected by a joint integrated team, the Oreshnik missile division began carrying out combat duty missions in designated areas on the territory of our country,” the statement said.

Какой Новый год без «Орешника»?

Обещали — показываем.

Так выглядит ритуал заступления на боевое дежурство подвижного грунтового ракетного комплекса «Орешник».

Подробнее 👉https://t.co/mdYoCyri6f pic.twitter.com/OInFIIabo1

— Минобороны Беларуси (@MOD_BY) December 30, 2025

In the released video, the Russians did not show the launchers of the Oreshnik intermediate-range missile system, displaying only vehicles that are part of the system.

Among them, it is possible to clearly identify a Combat Duty Support Vehicle mounted on the MZKT-7930 wheeled chassis.

In Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, this specialized vehicle is used to sustain personnel, provide electric power, and ensure conditions for performing duties in field environments, including meal preparation, rest, and even organizing missile launches.

The components of the system are guarded by personnel traveling in Asteys Patrol armored vehicles based on the serial KamAZ-5350 chassis.

The armored hull provides a high level of protection against small-arms fire, while the mine protection is equivalent to 6 kg of explosives detonated under a wheel.

American researchers have recently identified a likely deployment location of the Oreshnik intermediate-range missile system in Belarus.

The territory of the newly established missile base is effectively located near the Russian–Belarusian border – on the grounds of the Krichev-6 air base in eastern Mogilev region. The distance from the prepared positions to the state border is approximately 4 kilometers.

Such proximity to Russia’s Smolensk region likely illustrates the purely symbolic nature of deploying weapons on Belarusian territory. The choice of deployment location is driven by Moscow’s political considerations rather than military expediency.

The stated range of the Oreshnik missile system’s ballistic missile is up to 5,000 km. It can be equipped with either conventional or nuclear warheads.