Ukraine-Russia – live: Putin’s home fortified with air defence systems amid growing threat from Kyiv’s drones

Successful Ukrainian strikes deep inside enemy territory have forced Russia to beef up defences around Vladimir Putin ’s home outside St Petersburg .

Satellite imagery collected on 6 May shows Russian forces have concentrated at least seven Pantsir-1 medium-range air defence systems around Putin’s residence in Valdai, Leningrad oblast, according to the US-based think tank The Institute for the Study of War.

The drone strikes , which have successfully hit Russian air bases, have forced the Russian military command to prioritise limited air defence assets to cover what it deems high-value targets, the ISW said.

The move could be futile as Ukrainian drones can still bypass the air defence coverage to strike from uncovered directions, experts have said.

It comes as Kyiv has increasingly prioritised hitting Russian air defence systems in occupied Ukraine , according to its commander-in-chief Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Ukraine appears to be preparing the ground for the use of strike aircraft, as General Syrskyi noted that F-16s from Western allies are due to arrive “soon”.