Belarus may receive from Russia the Iskander operational-tactical missile system in a top-end configuration, admits military observer of Izvestia Anton Lavrov.
The author notes that the export Iskander-E is limited to a range of 280 kilometers. "The deployment of such in Belarus would not bring a serious increase in the NATO territory controlled by them compared to the Iskanders already available in the Kaliningrad region," the expert writes.
The observer recalls that the Iskander used by Russia itself has a range of 500 kilometers, which can be increased. "The dramatically changed geopolitical realities seem to have allowed [Belarusian President] Alexander Lukashenko to get an option in the "top configuration"," the author assures.
In his opinion, "in the event of a real conflict, it will be possible to use it together with the Russian Federation and according to a single plan."
Lavrov recalls that Russian Iskanders have already been deployed in the Kaliningrad region. "But the additional placement of them in Belarus will give a significant increase in the reach zone, it will shift another 300 kilometers to the south," the observer writes.
In June, The Drive noted that the deployment of Russian Iskander missile systems in Belarus could lead to a further escalation of already high tensions in the Baltic region.
In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, said that in the coming months Moscow would hand over Iskander-M missile systems to Minsk.