Vladimir Putin is constructing a secret military base in Belarus that, according to Russian state media, could host the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, capable of reaching London within eight minutes. Satellite imagery reveals a sprawling facility near the village of Pavlovka, south of Minsk, covering an area equivalent to 280 football pitches and featuring 13 ammunition depots, each measuring 100ft by 60ft, behind defensive walls.
The base, which has been under construction for over a year, also includes three 1,000ft hangars and a network of roads. Despite its scale, the site is not shown on public maps and has not been reported in Belarusian state media, which is tightly controlled by President Alexander Lukashenko.
Experts believe the base could be used to store the Oreshnik missile, which Russian sources claim can evade modern Western defences and deliver a warhead with temperatures reaching 4,000C. The missile has been tested only once, without a live warhead, in Ukraine last year. Polish military analyst Konrad Muzyka said the site “could be the place where the Oreshnik will be stored,” adding that it might also be used for nuclear weapons storage, similar to Cold War facilities.
Retired Finnish intelligence officer Marko Eklund echoed this assessment, stating, “If the Oreshnik base appeared here, it could be just right for this role.” Lukashenko has claimed the missiles will be deployed in Belarus “any day now,” but no deployment has been confirmed. The development comes amid heightened tensions, with Poland recently shooting down Russian drones that violated its airspace, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk stating Poland is closer to open conflict than at any time since World War Two.
