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Russia and Belarus Sign Security Treaty, Plan 2025 Deployment of Oreshnik IRBMs

Dec 6, 2024, 01:57 PM

On December 6, 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko met at the Palace of Independence in Minsk for the Supreme State Council of the Union State. The two leaders signed a treaty on mutual security guarantees within the framework of the Union State, formalizing military cooperation and strategic alignment. The treaty includes mutual allied obligations to ensure defense and sovereignty, and includes provisions regarding the inviolability of their territories and the deployment of all types of forces, including tactical nuclear weapons. Putin announced the potential deployment of Russia's new "Oreshnik" intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) systems in Belarus, with deployment possibly occurring in the second half of 2025 as production increases. Lukashenko requested the deployment of these missiles, stating that "this would calm some minds." Putin indicated that the missiles would be integrated into Russia's Strategic Missile Forces, with Belarus determining the targets for those deployed on its territory.