Russia builds 16 more air defense towers around Putin’s Valdai residence, bringing total to more than 50

Sixteen additional air defense towers have been erected within a 50-kilometer radius of President Vladimir Putin's Valdai residence, according to a report by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. This installation raises the overall count of air defense positions encircling the residence to over 50. Estimates from earlier RFE/RL suggest that Moscow is encircled by approximately 100 air defense towers.

The newest ring of protective air defense towers extends through Khotilovo airfield, a location Putin frequents, and envelops the clandestine biological laboratory on Lisiy Island, known as the Center for Experimental Physiology. These towers are anticipated to accommodate Pantsir or Tor air defense systems. In December 2025, Russia's Defense Ministry alleged that Ukrainian drones had targeted Putin's Valdai residence, a claim Kyiv vehemently denied.

During a conversation with former President Donald Trump, Putin himself repeated the claim, accusing Ukraine of perpetrating an "act of state terrorism." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky categorically dismissed the accusation as false. The Insider detailed the timeline of the "attack" as part of its Antifake reporting. Responding to a question from The Insider on December 30, Zelensky suggested the reports of an attack on the Valdai residence were intended to impede the peace process.

Notably, President Putin's longtime partner, Alina Kabaeva, and their two sons reside at the Valdai residence. Ukrainian drones are alleged to have launched unexplained "attacks" on Putin's residence, with the chronology of these incidents disputed. Reports indicate additional air defense installations have been constructed around Putin's Valdai residence and Moscow, with OSINT analysts hinting at the potential commencement of S-400 air defense positions in a Moscow park.