The deployment of Oreshnik missile systems abroad could significantly strengthen Russia’s military presence, said Alexander Stepanov, a military expert at RANEPA and senior research fellow at the Institute of Latin America at the Russian Academy of Sciences. In a conversation with the TASS agency , Stepanov emphasized that the deployment of the Oreshnik to Russia’s allies will not only strengthen their sovereignty, but will also become an instrument of Moscow’s global influence.

“The deployment of weapons like the Oreshnik in distant foreign countries, for example, in Venezuela or Cuba, for the purpose of providing cover and ensuring security <…> could act as a serious instrument for projecting Russia’s military presence in a global format,” he said.

The expert noted that serial production of missile systems demonstrates the significant capabilities of the Russian military-industrial complex. According to him, dozens of such systems can be produced annually, which will allow covering key strategic areas.

Stepanov also drew attention to the active proliferation of American missile systems, such as Tomahawk and HIMARS, which are deployed near the borders of the Russian Federation. According to him, the Pentagon has ordered 32 Tomahawk tactical missiles for Typhon systems by 2025.

“It is clear that neither HIMARS nor Typhon can be directly compared with Oreshnik, but, nevertheless, this is also an offensive strike potential, which is deployed primarily in the Russian border area,” he noted.

In addition, according to Stepanov, “Oreshnik” may become a sought-after product of cooperation with China, the DPRK and Iran. Despite their own developed production, these countries do not yet have analogues of the Russian missile complex.

Earlier, Vladimir Putin announced the start of serial production of the Oreshniks. The first systems have already been delivered to the troops, and by the end of the year, preparations for their deployment in Belarus are planned to be completed.