MINSK. May 28 (Interfax) - Belarus plans to deploy Oreshnik missile systems on its territory by the end of 2025, and it has already selected sites for its deployment, Belarusian Security Council State Secretary Alexander Volfovich said.
"The sites for deploying the Oreshnik in Belarus have already been selected, and preparations are ongoing as planned," Volfovich told journalists on the sidelines of an international meeting of high security representatives in Moscow on Wednesday.
The deployment of Russia's Oreshnik missile systems in Belarus will assume "a practical dimension" by the end of 2025, he said.
"Work is underway. As for statements by some Ukrainian officials and other leaders that all of this is bluffing and that there's none of that... Well, let them entertain hopes," Volfovich said.
"What counts most for us is that we should be confident and calm about security of our nations, Russia and Belarus," he said.
The Russian and the Belarusian leaders will be ready to employ this weapon if aggression is launched against the Belarus-Russia Union, he said.
"And there should be no doubts that we'll use it, that the head of state will make this decision," he said.