Russia says it has deployed nuclear-capable missile system to Belarus

Video footage released by Russia’s defence ministry showed the new Oreshnik missile moving slowly through a snow-covered forest. The images also depicted soldiers camouflaging military vehicles with green netting and raising a flag at an airbase in eastern Belarus, close to the Russian border.

The video appeared to form part of a carefully staged effort to intimidate Europe and to prepare the Russian public for a potential escalation in the already brutal war against Ukraine. If the deployment is genuine, it would symbolically shorten the time required for a Russian missile to reach an EU capital.

Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko said that 10 Oreshnik missile systems would be deployed on Belarusian territory. Vladimir Putin confirmed that the systems had entered active service during a meeting with senior military officials on Monday, at which he reiterated his determination to seize additional Ukrainian territory, including the southern city of Zaporizhzhia.

Earlier, Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov warned that “retaliatory measures” would be taken against Kyiv and said targets had already been identified. His comments followed claims that Ukraine launched an attack late on Sunday involving 91 drones aimed at the Russian president’s palace in the Novgorod region.

The Kremlin has provided no evidence to support these claims. Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesperson, said on Tuesday that no proof would be released because all of the drones had allegedly been intercepted. He said he was unable to comment on the absence of any wreckage.

Residents in the area said they heard no explosions or anti-aircraft fire, according to the independent Russian outlet Sota. No air raid alerts were issued, and no mobile phone videos showing smoke or flames circulated online, which is usually the case when attacks are confirmed.

On Tuesday, Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia had fabricated the story and called on other countries to disregard it. “Almost a day has passed, and Russia still hasn’t presented any credible evidence for its accusations. And it won’t, because there is none. No such attack took place,” he wrote on X.

Sybiha did not directly criticise Donald Trump, who on Monday strongly backed Russia’s version of events and said Putin had informed him of the attack during a phone call. “It’s one thing to be offensive, because they are offensive. It’s another thing to attack his home. This is not the right moment to do anything like that,” the US president said.

Sybiha also voiced frustration with India, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates after they said they were concerned by the reports. “Such responses to Russia’s baseless and manipulative claims only serve Russian propaganda and encourage Moscow to commit further atrocities and spread more lies,” he said.

Ukrainian military commanders noted that Russian kamikaze drones frequently fly over a government residence used by Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they head toward the capital. One officer, the commander of territorial defence unit 112, said his team shot down two drones on Saturday above the state residence in Koncha-Zaspa, south of Kyiv.

“Whenever there are large-scale attacks, they pass through our area. Shahed drones are always present. We quite often shoot them down here,” the soldier told the Guardian. He shared a video showing an enemy drone flying low against a pale winter sky.

Ukraine is keen to keep attention focused on ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the war, following a two-hour meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump in Florida on Sunday. During the talks, the two leaders discussed a 20-point peace plan under which the United States would provide Ukraine with postwar security guarantees approved by Congress.

No progress was made regarding the future of the eastern Donbas region, which Putin insists must be transferred to Russian control. Zelenskyy has rejected any territorial concessions and has proposed the creation of a demilitarised zone, potentially confirmed by referendum if Russia agrees to a ceasefire lasting at least 60 days.

Zelenskyy said Russia was spreading “fake news” in response to what he described as a “fairly successful conversation and meeting” with Trump and the recent advances made by US and Ukrainian delegations. He added that Moscow was making accusations because it did not want “any positive outcome for anyone in this format”.

Ukraine’s president is scheduled to meet European allies on 6 January in France at a conference hosted by Emmanuel Macron, where leaders will discuss Europe’s role in a potential peacekeeping mission. A follow-up meeting between European heads of state and Trump’s White House team in Washington is also expected.

Commentators warned that US security guarantees would be meaningless if Trump were willing to accept Russian claims at face value. “If monitoring of a potential ceasefire is carried out by the same people who currently believe what Russia is saying, then we are in serious trouble,” said Phillips O’Brien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews.