Minsk, Aug 14 (V7N) – Russia and Belarus will conduct a joint nuclear weapons exercise, codenamed Zapad 2025, in mid-September, the Belarusian Defense Ministry confirmed Wednesday, according to the Economic Times. The five-day drill will take place on Belarusian territory, with military forces from both countries participating.

The exercise will test the newly developed Russian Oreshnik missile — a medium-range hypersonic weapon capable of traveling at 10 times the speed of sound. The missile can carry up to six nuclear warheads and has an operational range of 3,000 kilometers without interruption. Moscow claims no other country possesses such a weapon.

The Oreshnik was first used in Ukraine in November last year, and Russia plans to deploy the system in Belarus by the end of 2025.

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