Putin: New hypersonic missiles are in production and will be deployed to Belarus

Vladimir Putin, right, and Alexander Lukashenko examine a chapel on Valaam Island near St Petersburg (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia has started production of its newest hypersonic missiles and reaffirmed its plans to deploy them to ally Belarus later this year.

Sitting alongside Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on Valaam Island near St Petersburg, Mr Putin said the military already has selected deployment sites in Belarus for the Oreshnik intermediate range ballistic missile.