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Satellite photos have shown that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been fortifying his Summer Palace near Lake Valdai, north of Moscow, with a "Ring of Steel."
Knewz.com has learned that the Russian autocrat is installing air defenses for protection against kamikaze drone strikes on his secret palace deep inside the woods.
The Russian administration is growing increasingly concerned regarding the safety of the Russian President, especially following the assassination attempts on former United States President Donald Trump and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in a recent statement that measures are being taken to bolster the security around Putin.
Being a seasonal residence of the Russian President, the Summer Palace in Valdai counts as a significant target if Ukraine intends to make an attempt on Putin's life.
Notably, Ukrainian Military Intelligence Chief Kyrylo Budanov has recently admitted in a statement to the nation's media outlets that Ukraine had carried out several unsuccessful assassination attempts on Putin.
Satellite photos showed the installation of a perimeter of Pantsir-S1 air defense systems around Putin's Valdai Summer Palace.
Pantsir air defense systems are especially known for their capability to shoot down small-sized aerial targets, like kamikaze drones.
The VCK-OGPU news outlet mentioned on Telegram that one of the main reasons the Ukrainian drone strike on St. Petersburg – where drones destroyed a gunpowder factory, oil depot, and oil refinery – and the Leningrad region in January 2024 were successful was "an acute shortage of technical means for detecting small-sized air targets and mobile air defense systems capable of shooting them down."
While NATO has permitted Ukraine to carry out strikes on targets on Russian soil, it is limited to military positions located on the Russia-Ukraine border. For targeting areas deep within Putin's territory, the nation's own drone reserves are its only option.
The installation of Pantsir S-1 air defense systems is expected to provide considerable protection in the event Ukrainian kamikaze drones target the Russian President's secluded palace.
It was reported that one of the first air defense systems around the Valdai Palace was installed in January 2024, shortly after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to increase drone production and carry out deep strikes in Russia.
The Pantsir S-1 position seen in the recent satellite photos was reportedly installed in March 2024. The Russian service of Radio Liberty shared Google Earth images from May 2024 where the air defense system can be seen on top of a tower.
"Near the residence of Vladimir Putin on Valdai, the [Pantsir S-1] air defense system was installed on the tower, the same was spotted installed in the Moscow region. It is located in a forest on the island of Ryabinova, 3.7 kilometers [2.3 miles] from the Valdai [Palace] of the Russian president," Radio Liberty wrote on Telegram.
Satellite photos shared by Maxar Technologies offer a clearer view of the air defenses strategically placed around the Summer Palace.
Knewz.com reported back in November 2024 that Putin had similarly fortified the Sochi Palace overlooking the Black Sea at a time when Ukrainian drones had been terrorizing Russian naval elements in the area.
Moscow politicians have been gravely concerned regarding possible assassination attempts on the Russian president, with pro-Kremlin Russian MP Sergey Markov suggesting that Putin should not schedule any foreign trips for the time being.
The Russian political scientist also alleged that Ukraine's Western allies, notably the United States, are in on the attempts on Putin's life.
"Yes. Putin is the goal. And not only for the SBU [Security Service of Ukraine] and the GUR [Military Intelligence Directorate] of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, but also for the special services of the USA and Britain and dozens of special services of the world subordinate to them."
"Russia has not yet decided how to respond. And so far there is no response. And this only encourages the enemy to escalate," Markov wrote on Telegram.