Scare tactic: Center for Countering Disinformation comments on deployment of Oreshnik in Belarus
Illustrative photo: Belarus may receive Russia's Oreshnik (Getty Images)
The discussion about the deployment of the Oreshnik Russian missile system in Belarus is yet another propaganda "scare tactic," according to the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, Andrii Kovalenko, on Telegram.
According to him, this idea has minimal impact on the actual security of Ukraine or NATO but is aimed at increasing pressure on the West through information tactics.
"At the moment, it is an informational narrative. Moreover, even the potential deployment of Oreshnik there does not increase the threat to Ukraine or NATO, if only because it makes no difference whether it is launched from Kapustin Yar or from Belarus," he explained.
Kovalenko also noted that all discussions about shorter flight times are merely a "scare tactic" aimed at civilian populations in Western countries and Ukraine.
According to him, the speed of the Russian missile does not matter for air defense systems.
"Just as it was with the Kinzhal, which was shot down for the first time in history by a Patriot system last year," he added.
However, Kovalenko emphasized that some technical issues would need to be resolved to deploy the necessary defense systems.
"Russia's main goal is to raise the stakes through fear propaganda against the West. Nuclear weapons in Belarus did not have the desired informational impact, so Oreshnik is being used as a 'bubble' in response to the West's permission to strike Russia with long-range weapons," said the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation.
He added that Russia would promote the deployment of Oreshnik in Belarus under the narrative of "bringing Oreshnik closer to NATO borders" in an attempt to influence public sentiment in Europe.
Kovalenko also pointed out that Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently trying to conceal the fact that one of the two launches of the Oreshnik missile has already failed.
Deployment of Oreshnik in Belarus
On December 6, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko asked Vladimir Putin to deploy the Oreshnik missile system on Belarusian territory.
He justified this request by citing "concerns" about the situation on Belarus's borders and in Ukraine.
Earlier, on November 21, the Russian army used this missile to strike the city of Dnipro.
At that time, the Ukrainian Armed Forces suggested that the attack might have been carried out using an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Later, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence reported that the strike was launched from the Kedr missile system. The head of the agency, Kyrylo Budanov, clarified that Oreshnik refers to the name of Russia's missile program, while the missile itself is called Kedr.
