A new outer ring of air defense towers has been built around the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Valdai. More than 15 facilities, summarized by Ukrainform as 16, were built in October within a radius of up to 50 kilometers south of the residence - on the side facing Ukraine.
Satellite images from Planet Labs were analyzed by Radio Liberty and an OSINT analyst known on the X social network as @jembobineuse. “Another ring of air defense towers has been built within a radius of 50 kilometers from the Valdai residence“, Radio Liberty reports. According to the analysis, the new structures will probably be equipped with anti-aircraft missile systems "Pantsir" or "Tor".
The positions are located south of the residence
One of the towers in the outer ring was built back in March 2026 on the territory of the "Khotilovo" military base. The base is regularly used by Putin, and a specially built railway connection leads to the residence in Valdai.
Several more air defense positions have been built near the Vyshnyovo Reservoir. There, on Lisii Island, the Russian military has built a new laboratory complex, which, according to Radio Liberty, is probably related to the Russian biological weapons program. Construction of two towers near the island began in early September.
Over 50 air defense positions around Valdai
After the construction of the new facilities around Valdai, there are now more than 50 air defense positions. This is approximately half the number of positions built after the start of the full-scale war in Moscow and the Moscow region, where more than 20 million people live.
Less than 100,000 people live in Valdai, the Valdai region and within a radius of 50 kilometers. Radio Liberty indicates that no positions have been discovered in the northern part of the new ring so far. According to the media, such facilities may be built in the coming months.
In January, the Russian military said that Ukraine had tried to attack Putin's residence in Valdai with drones. Kiev has denied the claim, and independent experts and the US Central Intelligence Agency have expressed doubts that such an attack took place.
Sources: ukrinform.ua, svoboda.org