The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) reported that the Belarusian military has completed the construction of a hangar for Iskander missile launchers on the territory of the 465th Missile Brigade in Osypovychi.
This is confirmed by the analysis of new satellite images. According to FAS, construction began in October 2022 and was completed in April 2023.
A July 4, 2023 Maxar image shows four Iskander launchers (or transporters) and two smaller support vehicles outside the hangar. At the same time, the compartment for storing missiles on one of the launchers is open.
FAS writes that the new facility is located just 7 km from the Osypovychi test site and 12 km from the weapons warehouse, where a potential modernization of the temporary storage of nuclear warheads could take place. The distance from this hangar to the PMC "Wagner" tent camp in the village of Tsel is 16.5 km.
- "Iskanders" entered service with the 465th missile brigade of the Belarusians back in February 2023, while earlier it had only a few divisions of the Tochka-U TMS. In view of this, the construction of a hangar for maintenance of a new type of equipment for the brigade seems logical. The first operational-tactical missile system (OTMS) "Iskander" have already arrived at the location of the brigade, but they have been placed in temporary boxes for now. Back in April, the personnel of the 465th Missile Brigade underwent practical training in the Russian Federation. They were trained in the maintenance and use of tactical nuclear munitions.