Latest news with #Pantsir-S1
Novaya Gazeta Europe
6 days ago
- Politics
- Novaya Gazeta Europe
Satellite images show 12 air defence systems deployed around Putin's Valdai residence — Novaya Gazeta Europe
Vladimir Putin and an Orthodox monk are pictured at the Smolensk Skete in the historic Valaam monastery in Karelia, Russia, 1 August 2025. EPA/GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL Satellite images of the area around Vladimir Putin's Valdai residence in the Novgorod region of northwestern Russia have shown at least 12 air defence systems — mainly Pantsir-S1 complexes — deployed on the site, Radio Svoboda, the Russian-language service of RFE/RL, reported on Tuesday. A year ago, there were just two on the same site, Radio Svoboda said. The first air defence system on the site was discovered in January 2023, while a second system was revealed six months later. According to Radio Svoboda, there are only five times as many air defence systems in the whole of Moscow and the Moscow region as at the Valdai site, even though they have a combined population of 20 million. Previously, the investigative journalists at Proekt discovered that the Valdai site also now housed a separate residence for Alina Kabaeva, 42, a Russian politician and former gymnast widely believed to be Putin's partner. Furthermore, an investigation by the non-profit investigative outlet Dossier Centre revealed in September that Putin's two sons from Kabaeva live in these residences. The residence has previously sought to employ tutors from South Africa, while Olesya Fedina, Kabaeva's cousin, introduces herself as the boys' mother to outsiders and personally meets any prospective employees. Putin, 72, is famously guarded about his private life. He divorced his wife Lyudmila in 2014. Their two daughters have also largely managed to avoid the public spotlight.
India.com
28-06-2025
- Business
- India.com
Russia making air defence system that destroyed Pakistani drones and missiles during Operation Sindoor even more powerful, India will...
New Delhi: Russia has started serial production of mini missiles for the Pantsir air defence system. This is one of those defence systems that destroyed Pakistani drones in the sky during Operation Sindoor. What is Pantsir capable of? This system is capable of shooting down dozens of drones at once. Apart from this, it can also shoot down other low flying objects like helicopters and spy balloons. Russia has also used this defence system extensively during the Ukraine war. Apart from this, Russia has also exported it to at least 10 countries other than India. What does media say about Pantsir? According to the report of Russian state media Sputnik, Russian state corporation Rostec said, 'The mini missiles of the Pantsir air defense missile system of our High-Precision Systems Holding Company have passed all their tests in different regions of the country and have now been sent for serial production.' Rostec said that these mini missiles can easily shoot down enemy mini swarm drones. Many drones can be destroyed in one attack. Rostec said in its statement, 'Now one Pantsir-SMD-E can destroy dozens of unmanned aerial vehicles.' How it performed in Ukraine Rostec has said that mini missiles for the Pantsir system were used for the first time in the war against Ukraine. During this time, this system has destroyed targets with accuracy. Russia has been calling the Ukraine war a special military operation since the beginning. In such a situation, the inclusion of mini missiles in the Pantsir system will make Russia's air defense more powerful and it will get a strong defense shield against Ukraine's drones. How powerful is Pantsir S-1 The Pantsir S-1 is an automatic, medium-range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft system. It mainly has three types of components, which together form the Pantsir S1 system. These include a missile launcher, a radar truck and a command post. The Pantsir-S1 has been made by the KBP Instrument Design Bureau of the Russian company Tula. It is considered to be a replacement for Russia's old Tunguska M1. The Pantsir-S1 is considered a precision weapon for the military against aircraft, helicopters, precision ammunition, cruise missiles and UAVs. In August 2024, Russia completed tests of a manoeuvrable track-based Pantsir-SM-SV system for service with Russian Ground Forces and Airborne Forces.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia converts Kerch Airport in Crimea into military base, investigation shows
Kerch Airport in occupied Crimea is being repurposed from civilian to military use, according to a June 12 investigation by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Schemes project, citing satellite imagery and Russian real estate registry data. On March 4, 2025, the Russian-backed authorities officially transferred part of the airport's land to Russia's Defense Ministry for indefinite use, according to the investigation. Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 after a discredited referendum under military occupation. Since then, the peninsula has become a heavily militarized zone. Satellite images from the Planet Labs imaging company show ongoing construction at the site, including the installation of protective and camouflage structures around the runway. The changes suggest the airport is being converted into a military facility capable of supporting drone operations or housing short-range air defense systems such as the Pantsir-S1 or Tor-M2, according to aviation expert Anatoly Khrapchinsky. The new runway will be suitable for drone launches, Khrapchinsky noted. Kerch Airport has not hosted regular commercial flights since 2007 and was previously used as a truck holding area for freight vehicles crossing the nearby ferry. That function was relocated in March 2025, officially as part of a "reorganization." The city of Kerch, situated near the strategic Kerch Strait, lies just across from Russia's Krasnodar Krai and is home to the crucial Crimean Bridge, built after Russia's illegal annexation of the peninsula in 2014. Read also: Germany to supply new Iris-T air defense systems to Ukraine, rules out Taurus missiles We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Russia turning Kerch airport in Crimea into military base, may launch Shahed drones from there
The Kerch airport, located in the east of occupied Crimea, is being converted from a civilian to a military facility, according to data from the Russian property registry and satellite images from Planet Labs. Source: Skhemy, a Radio Liberty project Details: Registry documents indicate that on 4 March 2025, the Russian authorities granted indefinite use of part of the airport's land to Russia's Ministry of Defence. Satellite images taken in February and June 2025 show new construction, including protective and camouflage structures around the runway. Planet Labs satellite photos indicate that the redevelopment of the Kerch airport is ongoing. The Kerch airport as of 5 June 2025. Photo: Skhemy Experts suggest these facilities could be used to house equipment related to unmanned aerial vehicles or air defence systems. Aviation expert Anatolii Khrapchynskyi, to whom the images were shown by journalists, pointed to the size of the camouflage shelters, noting they could potentially serve as technical bases for UAVs or house air defence systems such as the Pantsir-S1 or Tor-M2. "These could be platforms for launching or assembling drones, as well as positions for air defence systems," Khrapchynskyi said. He also noted that the runway's characteristics make it suitable for drone launches. The Kerch airport as of 5 June 2025. Photo: Skhemy Previously, the airport area had been used as a parking zone for freight vehicles awaiting ferry transport. However, in March 2025, this facility was relocated, officially explained as a "reorganisation of the company's operations". The last regular passenger flight from the Kerch airport took place in 2007. Background: On the night of 8-9 June, Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, in coordination with other defence forces units, carried out a strike on the Savasleyka airfield in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
News18
30-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Russia Defies UN Sanctions To Arm North Korea With High-Speed Pantsir Defence System: Report
Last Updated: Russia's overt flouting of the arms embargo is one thing but to actively help North Korea improve missile precision, that crosses a dangerous line, a diplomat in Seoul said In a revelation that could rattle global diplomatic circles, a leaked international monitoring report has exposed a surge in the covert military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, in direct violation of longstanding sanctions by the United Nations. The findings, published by a multilateral task force headquartered in Seoul on Thursday, alleged that Russia transferred advanced air defence systems, electronic warfare gear, and other military hardware to North Korea in recent months. According to the report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), established after Russia vetoed the extension of the UN's own North Korea expert panel last year, the Russian military has delivered the Pantsir-S1 mobile air defence systems to North Korea since November 2024. These systems, armed with high-speed surface-to-air missiles and autocannons, are designed to intercept enemy aircraft and missiles at short range. The report claimed that this hardware is the same Pantsir platform deployed to defend Russian airspace against drone and missile threats. The Pantsir is tactical system, designed for short-range defence, and has an effective engagement envelope of 1.2 to 20 kilometres. The MSMT's report also detailed on the arms pipeline between Russia and North Korea. Since September 2023, North Korea is believed to have shipped roughly 20,000 containers of military supplies to Russia. The cache reportedly includes more than 90 lakh artillery shells, hundreds of tactical missiles, and other munitions – enough to sustain multiple brigades on the front lines in Ukraine. The report claimed that Russian aircrafts, specifically Ilyushin IL-76 and Antonov AN-124 strategic airlifters, were used between November and December 2023 to transport North Korean arms. Russia also reportedly assisted North Korea in enhancing its missile guidance technologies, a serious breach of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions that Russia itself once endorsed. Russia's overt flouting of the arms embargo is one thing but to actively help North Korea improve missile precision, that crosses a dangerous line, a diplomat in Seoul said under condition of anonymity. Beyond weapons, the MSMT report also accused Russia of flooding North Korea with crude oil in excess of UN-mandated limits. More than 10 lakh barrels were reportedly transferred last year, double the permitted quota. Meanwhile, roughly 8,000 North Korean labourers, whose overseas deployments are banned under UN rules, were reportedly dispatched to Russia. The report alleged that the two nations were routing financial transactions through South Ossetia, a Russia-backed breakaway region of Georgia known for its questionable banking practices. The MSMT was formed in October 2024 by the United States and South Korea in response to the collapse of the UN's expert monitoring panel. The new coalition includes 11 countries including France, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany, and aims to preserve transparency and accountability over the enforcement of sanctions on North Korea. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published:
