It is a symbol of the all-powerfulness of Vladimir Putin, which must be protected. On April 12, the Kyiv Post revealed that in March 2026, Russia installed seven new towers equipped with air defense systems around the leader’s secondary residence located in Valday. According to satellite images provided by Planet.com, the work started at the same time, with some towers already equipped with surface-to-air missiles.
The defensive system now consists of two concentric circles – a wider one and a narrower one – around the property, bringing the total number of air defense systems in the immediate area to 27. Valday’s domain is particularly significant: covering 250 hectares, the area resembles a miniature town, complete with a pool, solarium, bowling alley, cinema, and even a dental office. From a strategic standpoint, it houses a replica of Vladimir Putin’s main residence office near Moscow, to conceal the Russian president’s movements outside of the capital in his public communications.
Other strategic sites
In December 2025, Russia had accused Ukraine of targeting the residence in an intercepted attack by 91 drones, an allegation denied by Kiev, which saw it as a pretext to challenge Washington-led negotiations to end the war. Nevertheless, this security reinforcement by Moscow is not only aimed at protecting its president but is part of a trend observed in other strategic sites. Like the more than 20 towers equipped with heavy machine guns and Pantsir systems in the special economic zone of “Alabuga” in Tatarstan, where the Geran drones derived from Iranian Shahed drones are manufactured.
On November 4, Vladimir Putin also signed a law authorizing the use of reservists, in exchange for financial compensation, to protect oil refineries and other energy infrastructure in Russia, amid Ukrainian strikes on such installations almost weekly. These attacks cause damage to oil and gas sector plants and pipelines, leading to a rise in fuel prices.
Plummeting popularity
Despite these preventive measures, the internal popularity of the Russian leader appears to be declining. On April 10, the public institute VtsIOM indicated that his official approval rating had dropped to 67.8%, the lowest level since February 2022. Independent estimates suggest an even steeper decline, with a trust level measured by an “open question” falling to 29.5%.
Analysts believe that this growing isolation – both physical and political – reflects increasing war fatigue and the intensification of Ukrainian drone strikes, now capable of “penetrating deeper into the heart of European Russia,” according to sociologist Konstantin Gaaze, as cited by the Kyiv Post. Despite the Orthodox Easter truce currently in place, the speed of these constructions suggests that the Kremlin is preparing for a lasting increase in aerial threats targeting its most sensitive sites.
