Russia expands air defense around Putin's Valdai residence

Satellite imagery has revealed that Russia is constructing an additional ring of air defense positions within a 50-kilometer radius of President Vladimir Putin's residence in Valdai. Open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysts report that more than 15 new towers, intended for Pancir or Tor anti-aircraft systems, appeared south of the residence toward Ukraine in October.

In total, there are now more than 50 air defense positions around Valdai, despite the area having a population of fewer than 100,000 people. This concentration of defenses is notably high compared to the Moscow region, which has roughly double the number of positions for over 20 million residents.

The fortification follows claims by the Russian military that Ukraine attempted a drone attack on the Valdai residence late last year. While Kyiv denied these allegations and independent experts, including the CIA, questioned the incident, Russian authorities have since moved to strengthen security. Reports suggest the residence is also used by Alina Kabajeva.