Satellite images show at least 12 air defense units — mostly Pantsir-S1 systems — positioned near Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence in Valdai, in the Novgorod region, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported.
On August 12, an X user said they had spotted several previously unreported air defense systems in Valdai on Yandex Maps. RFE/RL journalist Mark Krutov confirmed the findings and published all of the systems in the area on an interactive map.
The first air defense system in the area, installed just a few kilometers from Putin’s Valdai residence, was identified in January 2023. A year and a half later, in July 2024, RFE/RL reported that a second Pantsir-S1 system had been seen near the residence.
As RFE/RL notes, there are now only about five times fewer air defense systems around Putin’s residence than in Moscow and the surrounding region.