- A missile system was spotted near the Moscow stadium where Putin gave a patriotic speech.
- Similar air defenses have been popping up on roofs across the capital since Russia invaded Ukraine.
An air defense missile system was spotted near the site where Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a four-minute patriotic speech in Moscow, according to multiple reports. It appears to be one of a number of such systems indicating the Kremlin has fears of an aerial attack as its invasion of Ukraine drags on.
The Russian news site Meduza reported that a Pantsir missile system was installed outside Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, where thousands had gathered — and some had been paid — to hear Putin speak on Wednesday.
—KyivPost (@KyivPost) February 22, 2023
Mobile air defense systems such as these are intended to prevent aircraft, cruise missiles, and drones from striking Moscow. The surface-to-air missiles began appearing on Russian rooftops in the capital last month, The Guardian reported.
Unlike Ukraine's capital city, Moscow has so far not come under attack as Putin's war continues, but bases deep within Russian territory have been hit. Russia — which has lobbed thousands of missiles, suicide drones, and other munitions at Ukrainian towns on an almost daily basis, indiscriminately striking targets like train stations, schools, hospitals, and residential areas — blamed the strikes on Ukrainian drones.
According to a report from The Moscow Times, some locals have expressed concern and anger about the presence of Pantsir air defense systems and other similar assets in the capital to shield it from attack. The fear is that these developments could be a sign of military escalation in the country's war with Ukraine.
Russia is not the only one stepping up its air defense capabilities. The US and other NATO allies have stepped up their efforts in recent months to outfit Ukraine with advanced air defense systems to help protect the country from missile and drone attacks carried out by Putin's troops.