Russia Unveils Belarus Missile Plant, Escalating European Arms Race
Russia has revealed plans to construct a missile facility in Belarus, capable of producing intermediate-range ballistic missiles that can reach any point in Europe. This announcement comes amidst growing concerns over Russia's hypersonic missile capabilities and deployments near European borders.
In recent Zapad 2025 exercises, Russia successfully tested land- and sea-launched versions of the hypersonic Zircon missile. This missile, capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 9, can strike targets as far away as Belgium from its base in Kaliningrad. Meanwhile, on 19 September, Russian MiG-31K aircraft, equipped to carry hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, were spotted transiting through Estonian airspace. This deployment demonstrates Russia's intent to station these aircraft close to vital European targets.
While no European governments have publicly announced plans to order more hypersonic missiles, European countries like Greece are expanding their naval capabilities. However, the continent's air-defence capabilities remain limited and could be overwhelmed by large waves of missile attacks. Experts suggest Europe should learn from Ukraine's drone strikes and develop advanced long-range missiles for effective deterrence. On the night of 9 September, Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace, highlighting this vulnerability.
Russia's plans to build a missile facility in Belarus and deploy hypersonic missiles near European borders underscore the need for Europe to strengthen its deterrence capabilities. With limited reliance on US missile production and constrained supply of defensive missiles, Europe must prioritize the development of advanced long-range missiles to counter potential threats.
