Russian authorities have deployed air-defense installations in and around Moscow after several drone attacks hit the country’s heartland.
(Bloomberg) — Russian authorities have deployed air-defense installations in and around Moscow after several drone attacks hit the country’s heartland.
Local residents posted photos in social media of cranes lifting Pantsir systems to rooftops in downtown Moscow, as well as defenses installed in the western suburbs, near President Vladimir Putin’s official residence. The images couldn’t immediately be confirmed.
The deployments came after drone attacks last month hit military bases in Saratov and Ryazan, about 500 km (311 miles) from the capital, according to officials familiar with situation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss matters that aren’t public. They said the new systems will supplement existing anti-missile systems around the capital.
Russia blamed Ukraine for the attacks on its bases but Kyiv hasn’t officially claimed responsibility.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov referred questions about the deployments to the Defense Ministry, Tass said.
The Kremlin’s effort to shield the Russian population from the impact of its invasion of Ukraine are wearing thin as the war heads into its second year. A mobilization announced in September triggered an exodus of Russians seeking to avoid being called up.
Later, authorities began checking bomb shelters across Russia after more than three decades of neglect since the end of the Cold War.
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