On August 1, speaking on Valaam Island alongside Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that the newly developed hypersonic Oreshnik missile has entered serial production, has been delivered to Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, and has formally entered military service.
Putin highlighted the Oreshnik’s —Mach 10 flight speed, multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs) and its ability to carry conventional or nuclear warheads with a range reaching “all of Europe”. The weapon made its combat debut on November 21, 2024, when what Russia identified as a non‑explosive test strike hit Ukraine’s Pivdenmash missile plant in Dnipro, a demonstration many analysts view as a psychological signal rather than a militarily necessary deployment.
Looking ahead, Putin announced that deployment sites in Belarus have already been selected, that preparatory work is “most likely to be completed before year’s end,” and that Oreshnik batteries will be stationed on Belarusian soil within the end of 2025 timeframe under a bilateral agreement that places Belarus under Russia’s nuclear umbrella. He warned NATO countries hosting or supplying Kyiv with long‑range weapons that Russia “could use it against Ukraine’s NATO allies” if Kyiv strikes inside Russian territory.
