Vladimir Putin has moved one of his air defence systems to within a few hundred metres of Moscow’s oil refinery after Ukrainian drones damaged the facility, according to reports. The Pantsir anti-aircraft missile and gun system was relocated following a major drone attack that shrouded Moscow in noxious black smoke and coated the city in oil rain.
Drone Attack Causes Significant Damage
The onslaught, believed to be Ukraine’s biggest attack on the Russian capital so far, caused significant damage across Moscow as air defences struggled to repel the drones. The strike hit Moscow’s Oil Refinery, leading to widespread disruption and raising questions about the effectiveness of Russia’s air defence systems.
Russia has long boasted of its anti-aircraft capabilities, but recent aerial attacks from Ukraine have exposed the system as outdated. The newly moved Pantsir system is also surrounded by a metal cage, a feature common on systems deployed near the frontlines, suggesting Putin likely relocated one of his soldiers’ systems to protect the capital.
Putin’s Growing Paranoia
Reports from analysts indicate that the Russian leader is becoming increasingly paranoid for his own safety, often working from bunkers. Putin has even abandoned his favourite palaces, fearing they could be targets of drone strikes by his own entourage. The President’s Security Council Secretary, Sergei Shoigu, who served as Minister of Defence during the first years of the war, is allegedly one of the figures Putin fears could try to topple him.
The Kremlin has already tried to weaken Shoigu’s power, arresting his former deputy last month under suspicion of corruptly making over £50 million in family assets. Fears of another coup, after the Wagner rebellion in 2023, are growing for Putin, with the Federal Protective Service saying it has ‘significantly tightened security measures’ around Putin.
Heightened Security Measures
Any visitors to the Presidential Administration now undergo two levels of screening and a full body search. Putin has also slashed the number of locations he visits, avoiding his usual haunts in Novo Ogaryovo and his Valdai palace. Putin lives with his glamorous Olympic gymnast partner Alina Kabaeva, 42, and their sons Ivan, 11, and Vladimir, six, who use the family name Spiridonov.
The Russian president is failing to gain significant traction on the front line while losing ground in several areas. The relocation of the Pantsir system underscores the vulnerability of Moscow’s defences and the escalating security concerns for Putin’s regime.
