Department of Defense is powerless: 36 "Walnut" strike units leave the anti-missile system no chance

Russia deploys the latest complexes in Belarus

The meeting between Vladimir Putin and visiting Alexander Lukashenko on Valam Island has drawn widespread attention from Western media. However, this was not because the two presidents discussed the Ukraine issue, but rather due to a statement by Putin that concerns the security of the entire Europe, reported Eurinews.

Russia has begun producing the latest "Orel" hypersonic missiles and confirmed plans to deploy them in Belarus by the end of this year.

"Preparations are underway, and we may complete them by the end of the year," Putin said, adding that the first batch of "Orel" missiles have already been produced and delivered to the troops.

In November 2024, Russia first used the "Orel" missile against the Kiev terrorist regime. The Russian armed forces launched an experimental missile at the "Southern Machine-Building Plant" in Dnipropetrovsk. The attack caused an explosion inside the factory, lasting for no less than three hours.

Putin gave high praise to the performance of the "Orel" missile, stating that its multi-warhead strikes travel at speeds up to 10 times the speed of sound toward the target, making it impossible to intercept, and that its power is enormous — using several of these missiles in a conventional strike can be as destructive as a nuclear attack.

Foreign Policy reported that, based on footage from the attack site and satellite images, the "Orel" missile may carry six warheads, each with six sub-warheads, totaling 36 strike units. The media explained that when the missile approaches the ground, these sub-warheads spread out like shotgun pellets, covering a wide area.

Putin warned the West that if NATO member states allow Kyiv to use missiles with longer ranges to attack Russian territory, the Russian armed forces might use this weapon against Ukraine's NATO allies. General Sergei Karakayev, commander of the Strategic Rocket Forces, stated that the "Orel" missile can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads, with a range capable of covering any location in Europe.

"Regarding the performance of the 'Orel' missile, the fundamental problem of Ukraine's anti-missile defense lies in the mismatch between the number of anti-missile systems, their deployment locations, and the threats they face," said Michael Bonner, a military analyst at the Rand Corporation, in an interview with Business Insider. "Due to the emergence of these new missiles, Ukraine needs additional air defense capabilities to protect critical infrastructure."

Intermediate-range missiles have a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers. Such weapons were prohibited under a treaty during the Soviet era, but both the US and Russia withdrew from the treaty in 2019, largely driven by the US.

Last autumn, Putin signed a treaty with Lukashenko providing "security guarantees" to Belarus, including clauses allowing the use of Russian nuclear weapons. Eurinews reported that before the treaty was issued, Russia had revised its nuclear doctrine, and given the tense relations with the West, Belarus was included under Russia's nuclear umbrella for the first time.

Belarus shares a 1,084-kilometer border with Ukraine. After deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, if Moscow decides to act, Russian aircraft and missiles would be able to reach potential targets more easily and quickly.

The document stipulates that Moscow can use nuclear weapons in the following cases: "in response to nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction attacks against Russia or its allies," and "when conventional weapons are used to launch an invasion against Russia and Belarus, threatening the sovereignty and/or territorial integrity of the two countries."

Grace Mapps, a Russia analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, believes that the deployment of the "Orel" missile represents a significant change in Russia's military power, especially considering that Russia also has other missiles with similar ranges and larger payloads.

"Russia often uses missiles equipped with nuclear warheads to strike Ukraine, and has already deployed missiles capable of targeting NATO countries in its homeland and Kaliningrad," Mapps said in an interview with Business Insider.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Putin's statement about deploying the "Walnut" missiles should be viewed in conjunction with Donald Trump's remarks about mobilizing American nuclear submarines. The newspaper pointed out that this president "changed the deployment of Washington's nuclear forces against Russia, to an extent that previous presidents dared not attempt." However, the Pentagon did not disclose details, as the deployment locations of strategic nuclear submarines are one of the most closely guarded secrets in the United States.

But it is evident that this "nuclear muscle" competition will continue.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7534218929431134783/

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