The latest satellite images show that Russia has begun building defensive structures at some of its air bases, in response to Ukraine’s operation “Cobweb”, carried out on June 1, News.bg reports.
This was reported by the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
The Ukrainian open-source intelligence organization Frontelligence Insight reports that satellite images from July 7 reveal the construction of about 10 bunkers with soil covers, 12 concrete bunker-like structures without such covers, and eight hangars on the apron of the Khalino air base in the Kursk region. Similar fortifications were also spotted in images from Planet Labs from June 27.
On At the Saki air base in occupied Crimea, satellite images from July 9 show the construction of two concrete bunkers. Data from July 7 also indicate the presence of new aircraft shelters. At the same time, images from the Dzhankoy base collected on July 9 show no active construction activities.
Frontelligence also reports that at the Belaya (Irkutsk region) and Olenya (Murmansk region) air bases there are still remains of bombers destroyed in Ukrainian strikes during Operation Spiderweb.
In light of these events, Russian officials and military bloggers have sharply criticized the leadership in Moscow for its inability to protect strategic military infrastructure from Ukrainian drone attacks, even though the war is entering its third year. It is assumed that the construction of defensive structures is a direct response to the increasing effectiveness of Ukrainian strikes.
Meanwhile, Germany has confirmed its interest to purchase Patriot air defense systems from the United States on behalf of Ukraine. On July 12, Major General Christian Freuding, Chief of Staff for Planning and Command at the German Ministry of Defense, announced that Defense Minister Boris Pistorius had held talks with his American counterpart Pete Hegseth weeks ago about purchasing two such systems.
Freuding added that U.S. President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had also discussed the deal in recent days, and that Pistorius would travel to Washington on July 14 for further negotiations.
Germany has already opened a production line for Patriot systems and plans to produce the first such complexes in Europe by the end of 2026 or early 2027. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky officially confirmed Germany's commitment to purchase two systems on behalf of his country on July 10.