Russia’s borders are unprotected, Kremlin sends all its air defense systems to t…

Putin’s war on Kyiv has left his country’s southern border with quasi-ally China exposed, satellite imagery has revealed, with a number of air defense missile systems likely relocated to the Ukraine front.

AS-22, an account on X, posted a series of satellite images, showing the number of S-300 and S-400 air defense missile transporter erector launchers at bases east of Novosibirsk, a region located in southwestern Siberia, according to Newsweek.

İt is noted that the S-300 and S-400 are Russian-made mobile, surface-to-air missile systems, capable of shooting down aircraft as well as cruise and ballistic missiles. The S-400 is roughly comparable to the American Patriot air defense system in Ukrainian service, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Missile Defense Project.

AS-22, which specializes in imagery intelligence and open-source intelligence, claimed that since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, around 105 transporter erector launchers deployed at 11 Russian bases have been moved. For instance, in Khabarovsk, located 19 miles from the Russia-China border, 11 out of the 17 transporter erector launchers deployed at the base were relocated, AS-22 observed.

On the island of Sakhalin, located just 25 miles north of Japan’s island of Hokkaido, all seven transporter erector launchers were moved from their base.

Ukraine has repeatedly used long-range weapons, including domestically manufactured drones, to carry out cross-border strikes on Russian soil, forcing Moscow to strengthen its air defense capability along its southwestern border. It is not the first time Russia has removed air defense missile systems from their bases during the war. Some that were deployed on its Far East islands of Iturup and Kunashir were also removed, according to analysis of satellite images, Japan’s Kyodo News reported in August 2023. The islands are part of the disputed Southern Kuril Islands, which are also claimed by Japan.

The air defense equipment was likely redeployed to Russia’s border with Ukraine, the report cited lecturer Yu Koizumi at the University of Tokyo as saying.

Satellite images also indicated a number of air defense missiles were relocated from Russia’s northwestern region around St. Petersburg toward Ukraine, Finland’s broadcaster Yle reported in September 2022.

Russia faces high demand for precision standoff land attack weapons as it continues to bombard Ukraine, with Kyiv claiming that Russia’s military has re-purposed S-300 surface-to-air missiles for ground attacks.

Previously, Finnish broadcaster Yle has already stated in June and confirmed by satellite images of Russian bases that all bases near the Finnish border are virtually empty as Russia has redeployed personnel and equipment from these bases to Ukraine. “On average, 80% of the equipment and soldiers have been transferred to the war against Ukraine,” a source in intelligence reports. Only instructors and recruits are left.

Their source said already a month ago that Russia is “scooping up” equipment and military personnel from its bases – not just near the Finnish borders, but everywhere across its vast territory except for Moscow Oblast.

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@Ukraine_Report ~ 4rrasoe 🇮🇩❤️🇺🇦🔱