Russia expands Moscow’s air defences with dozens of new Pantsir positions

28 July 2026 , 18:03

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Over the past two months, at least 24 new Pantsir air defense system towers have been built around Moscow, the open source intelligence (OSINT) researcher Jembob recently reported on X after studying new satellite images.

The expansion includes a new ring with a radius of around 40 kilometers, as well as separate positions near strategic sites. Coordinates of known positions, along with images and source links, have been collected on an interactive map produced by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) journalist Mark Krutov, which Jembob cited.

According to the researcher’s count, 79 Pantsir towers are now known to be located within 50 kilometers of Moscow, with another eight or nine farther away. Approximately 30 ground ramps have also been built around the capital, including five double positions. Three or four Pantsir-SMD systems have been placed on the roofs of Moscow buildings. Together, Jembob counted around 125 known short-range air defense positions in Moscow and the Moscow Region.

The count refers to prepared positions, not necessarily to the number of systems deployed on them. On Krutov’s interactive map, sites are divided by type and degree of confirmation: some positions have been confirmed by high-resolution imagery, while others remain presumed.

All 44 towers that Jembob attributes to the new ring are confirmed by high-resolution satellite images. At least three new towers were built directly next to earlier ground ramps. The researcher suggested that the older positions could be removed from service and replaced with elevated platforms.

Separate positions have also been built near strategic sites outside the nearly circular defensive line — these include the Moscow oil refinery, Vnukovo airport, and Vladimir Putin’s residence. Beyond the 50-kilometer zone, several new towers can be seen at locations less than 4 kilometers from major electrical substations. The researcher said they were likely built specifically to protect energy infrastructure.

At the same time, two new sites for S-400 systems have appeared around Moscow. In June, Jembob and RFE/RL journalist Krutov hypothesized that one of them was being built on a cleared site in Moskvoretsky Park in Moscow’s Kuntsevo District. The size and shape of the cleared area were comparable to other new S-300 and S-400 positions near the capital, though the site’s purpose has not been definitively confirmed.

In May, RFE/RL reported that another ring of air defense positions was being created around Moscow, primarily for Pantsir systems. At the time, journalists working with OSINT researchers counted more than 100 positions around the Russian capital and noted that some of the new sites were being built near abandoned bases from the Soviet S-25 Berkut air defense system. Jembob’s new data show construction has continued.

In the spring, RFE/RL found seven new Pantsir towers around Putin’s residence in Valdai, bringing the total there to 27. Jembob separately counts two more towers in the area — at Khotilovo airfield and at a nearby ammunition depot. He considers them part of the residence’s protective system and puts the total number of related towers at 29.

In June and July, new towers and ramps for air defense systems also appeared near industrial and infrastructure sites. According to Jembob, at least three new towers appeared near the Ryazan oil refinery, two near the refinery in Kstovo, and one or two near the refinery in Yaroslavl. Jembob also found new positions north of St. Petersburg near major electrical substations, and also in the Baltic port of Ust-Luga.

Jembob noted that the pattern varies by region: in the northern areas of Russia he examined, new towers are being built widely, while in the south, Pantsir systems are more often placed on earthen berms and only near key sites.