Satellite images show a significant increase in air defense systems around Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Valdai residence, according to reports from European outlets and U.S. state-funded media.
Radio Svoboda, a U.S.-funded broadcaster, claims the site is home to Putin’s alleged partner, former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva, and their children. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any relationship between the two.
Analysis by the Moscow Times cites at least 12 Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile systems encircling the compound, known as Uzhin. Many are mounted on elevated towers. Previously, only two such units had been identified in the area.
For comparison, the Moscow metropolitan area — home to over 20 million people — has about 60 Pantsir systems, only five times more than those reportedly guarding the Valdai site. The additional units are said to have been redeployed from the St. Petersburg region, potentially reducing air defense coverage there.
Investigative reports have linked Kabaeva to the residence for years, with claims that a private home and railway spur were built for her in 2023. She is believed to spend much of the year there with her two young sons.
The buildup comes amid frequent Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries and other high-value targets. Analysts suggest the heavy defenses point to heightened security concerns around Putin ahead of his planned trip to Alaska on Friday to meet U.S. President Donald Trump.
