A Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile launcher system has been installed in the village of Yashcherovo in the Novgorod region, six kilometers from Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence. Agentstvo received a photo of the installation from a local.
According to the source, the air defense system was installed several weeks ago. Residents of Yashcherovo and the neighboring villages confirmed to Agentstvo that the village has indeed been equipped with such a system. One of the interviewees added that the complex is on combat duty, with at least three soldiers manning it permanently and the radar antenna rotating.
Situated on the shore of Lake Uzhin, Yashcherovo is one of the two closest villages to the presidential residence. On the map, the distance from Yashcherovo to the grounds of the presidential residence barely exceeds six kilometers. As the media outlet found out, there is no critical infrastructure, strategic facilities, large enterprises, or large accumulations of military equipment or personnel anywhere near Yashcherovo.
The Defense Ministry and the Presidential Executive Office are yet to comment on the reports of air defense near the Valday residence.
Last week it became known that Russian authorities had deployed air defense systems on the roofs of Moscow buildings, following multiple drone attacks on military airfields near Ryazan and Saratov.