Breaking News: Belarus explores arming Polonez missiles with nuclear warheads amid deeper cooperation with Russia.

As reported by Belta on August 21, 2025, Alexander Volfovich, the State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus, stated that the option of arming the Polonez multiple launch rocket system with nuclear warheads is under review. The announcement followed a government meeting chaired by President Alexander Lukashenko on missile production and industry modernization.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Belarus does not possess its own nuclear weapons but hosts Russian tactical warheads under Moscow’s control, which may explain why the option of arming the Polonez multiple launch rocket system with nuclear warheads is now being considered. (Picture source: Belarus MoD)

The discussions touched on how Belarus can continue developing its missile engineering capacity, the need to maintain parity with Western neighbors, and new cooperation with Russia on advanced missile technologies. The matter comes as Belarusian air defense units carried out live-fire exercises in Russia’s Ashuluk training area, employing S-300, Tor-M2K, and Buk systems, while preparations continue for the Zapad-2025 joint exercises with Russia, which will include the Oreshnik hypersonic missile.

Volfovich explained that the Polonez system, first developed jointly with China, has been modernized at Belarusian enterprises and now has a range of 300 kilometers compared to its original 200 kilometers. He stated that while the Polonez is designed as a high-precision system, it requires continuous corrections and upgrades, and discussions are already underway regarding the adaptation of nuclear warheads. He also referred to the integration of Russia’s Oreshnik intermediate-range hypersonic missile technologies into potential joint missile projects, noting that work with Russia will be essential in adjusting and creating such systems. He stressed that these measures are not intended as threats but as part of responding to Western developments, where NATO and the United States field systems with ranges of 600 kilometers or more. Volfovich added that the rise in Western defense budgets and militarization requires Belarus to strengthen its defense capability and that questions of strategic deterrence now have greater importance.

The Polonez system itself is a Belarusian 300-millimeter rocket artillery launcher mounted on an MZKT-7930 vehicle, capable of firing eight rockets in a salvo within 50 seconds, with a combat range of up to 300 kilometers. It was first publicly shown in Minsk in 2015 and entered service with the Belarusian Armed Forces in 2016. Belarus currently fields a limited number of Polonez and Polonez-M units, while Azerbaijan has also procured several launchers. The system’s guidance combines inertial and satellite navigation with a circular error probability of around 30 to 45 meters at maximum range. It has been reported that the Polonez may have been used in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by Azerbaijan, although these accounts remain disputed. Volfovich’s proposal to study nuclear payload integration represents a new dimension for the system, particularly as Belarus currently does not control nuclear weapons directly, with Russian tactical nuclear warheads stationed on Belarusian territory under Moscow’s authority.

Belarus has also been expanding its missile industry over the past five years. Dmitry Pantus, Chairman of the State Authority for Military Industry, reported to Lukashenko that achievements include the Sapfir grenade launcher system and the Buk MB-2 air defense system. The Buk MB-2, now commissioned by the Belarusian army, incorporates Belarus’ first domestically produced surface-to-air missile with a range exceeding 70 kilometers. Pantus noted that the system is now produced in series and has attracted foreign interest. He added that Belarus has been building a missile engineering school, training specialists domestically and in Russia, many of whom now work in national enterprises. These efforts are to be continued, and Lukashenko directed that final proposals on missile development should be prepared in cooperation with the armed forces and Russian partners. The president said he intends to consult Russian President Vladimir Putin on whether the next steps in modernization will align with Moscow’s interests within the Union State framework.

Belarus has also moved to strengthen ties with Russia on advanced missile systems, particularly the Oreshnik and Iskander-M. Lukashenko confirmed earlier in 2025 that Belarus has started producing launchers for the Oreshnik intermediate-range hypersonic missile, which Russia has employed against Ukraine since November 2024. He said the country is building several transporter-erector-launchers but requires Russian-supplied missiles to complete the systems. Russian sources describe the Oreshnik as having a range of over 3,000 kilometers, reaching speeds above Mach 10, and being able to carry nuclear or conventional warheads, with reports suggesting its destructive potential could rival nuclear weapons without radioactive effects when equipped with multiple conventional warheads. At the same time, Belarus has received Russian Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile systems, capable of striking targets up to 400 kilometers away with conventional or nuclear payloads, and Russian S-400 surface-to-air systems, both of which were declared fully operational in Belarus by late December 2022. Moscow has also pledged support to Belarus in developing Iskander-type missiles, further reinforcing the joint missile posture within the Union State framework.

Operational activities illustrate these developments. In August 2025, Belarusian air defense forces carried out live missile launches at Ashuluk, where Tor systems fired on the move at night for the first time, mobile fire teams practiced engaging drones, and Su-30 fighters employed air-to-air missiles against moving targets simulating cruise missiles. Chief of the General Staff Pavel Muraveiko said these exercises confirmed the readiness of Belarus’ air defense forces to defend national airspace. Looking ahead, the Zapad-2025 exercises scheduled for 12 to 16 September will include drills with the Oreshnik missile and simulated nuclear weapon use, marking an escalation in Russian-Belarusian military coordination. Lithuanian defense assessments warn that Russian forces continue to use Belarusian airspace freely, while NATO has responded by increasing its air policing activities, including Germany’s deployment of Eurofighter aircraft to Poland. Reports of troop redeployments and drone incursions near Lithuania highlight tensions in the run-up to the drills.

Taken together, these steps reflect Belarus’ attempt to develop greater autonomy in missile production while relying on Russian technology and nuclear guarantees. While officials stress that Belarus poses no threat to its neighbors, the adaptation of nuclear capabilities to the Polonez would raise questions about compliance with existing arms control frameworks and the division of nuclear responsibilities between Minsk and Moscow. Western analysts note that Zapad exercises in the past have served as cover for large-scale Russian deployments, including in 2021 before the invasion of Ukraine. The current trajectory, combining domestic projects like the Buk MB-2 with Russian-supported systems such as Iskander-M, S-400, and Oreshnik, suggests that Belarus intends to consolidate a missile arsenal that provides both conventional and nuclear-linked deterrence.