Another 16 towers for air defense systems have been built around Vladimir Putin's residence in Valday. Researchers now count more than 50 air defense positions here—roughly half the number built around Moscow and Moscow Oblast after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The scale is especially striking when comparing populations: Moscow and its surrounding region have over 20 million residents, while the Valday area and adjacent territories have fewer than 100,000.
The new structures were discovered by journalists from Radio Svoboda together with OSINT analyst @jembobineuse, studying satellite images from October 2026. The investigation results were published on October 25.
What satellite images of Putin's residence showed
The researchers discovered the construction of a new outer ring of structures intended for housing air defense systems.
According to their data, most of the new towers appeared in October. It is assumed that Pantsir or Tor anti-aircraft missile systems, which are used, among other things, to combat drones, may be installed on them.
However, the presence of a tower does not necessarily mean that an operational air defense system is already deployed on it. Satellite images can reveal the structures, but not always establish what weaponry is on them and whether it is ready for use.
The journalists also note that the new outer ring has not yet been fully traced. It is possible that construction of additional positions will continue.
Why there are more than 50 air defense positions around Valday
The air defense system around the presidential residence has been expanded for several years.
In April 2026, Radio Svoboda reported on the construction of seven new towers during March. At that time, the total number of discovered towers reached 27. Some of them already had anti-aircraft systems installed.
Subsequent observations showed that construction continued. In the new investigation, the journalists expanded the area of satellite image study and discovered another 16 towers.
According to current calculations, the number of air defense positions in the Valday area has exceeded 50.
For comparison: after the start of the full-scale war, over 100 new air defense positions were built around Moscow and Moscow Oblast, where more than 20 million people live.
Thus, a comparable number of defensive structures is concentrated around a relatively sparsely populated area where the Russian president's residence is located.
What is known about the reasons for strengthening the protection of the residence
The expansion of air defense is taking place against the backdrop of the ongoing war and drone strikes on facilities within Russia.
On December 29, 2025, Russian authorities claimed an alleged drone attack by Ukraine on Putin's residence. Kyiv categorically rejected these accusations.
No independent confirmation of the alleged attack was presented. The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) also reported a lack of evidence supporting the Russian version.
Meanwhile, the Russian authorities have not publicly disclosed the total cost of building the air defense system around the Valday residence and have not explained the scale of its expansion.
New satellite images show that the defensive infrastructure continues to be expanded. However, the exact number of installed and on combat duty anti-aircraft systems remains unknown.
The main result of the investigation is the discovery of another 16 towers and more than 50 air defense positions in the Valday area. The scale of construction is particularly highlighted in comparison with the defense of the multi-million Moscow region.
Sources: Radio Svoboda — investigation of October 25, 2026; Ukrainska Pravda; Radio Svoboda — previous investigation of April 12, 2026; Deutsche Welle — ISW assessment.
