“The movement of the S-300/400s is not merely a redeployment of forces. The multi-layered structure that Russia has built has been significantly undermined, the [Anti-Access/Area Denial] A2/AD bubble that has been responsible for strategic deterrence against NATO has shrunk, and surface-to-air air defense in the Bastion strategy has been weakened, forcing a transformation of the defense structure,” it adds.

Katarzyna Zysk, a professor with the Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies, told Radio Liberty that thinned-out defenses in the far north suggest Moscow does not anticipate imminent escalations in the region.

“It suggests that Russia does not anticipate an imminent large-scale attack in the [far north] region and judges that it can reduce protection there without incurring unacceptable risk,” Zysk said.

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[–] pluggerslugs@piefed.social 21 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Another comparison near the Saratov oil refinery showed an abundance of air defense systems in August 2025, where the same patch was largely empty in satellite images from May 2023.

The fact that the Saratov oil refinery got hit a week ago is even funnier now.

[–] supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 7 points 1 week ago

Ahahahaha

[–] thanksforallthefish@literature.cafe 18 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Sounds like it would be a great time for Sweden, Finland and Norway to have some Arctic circle military training manoeuvres...

[–] pluggerslugs@piefed.social 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

If there's no AA for those arctic bases, do low altitude flyovers in the dead of night.

[–] Glowstick@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Putin can move the air defense systems away from there because he and everyone else has always known that NATO is a defensive organization.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Sure wont help Russia when they decide to attack a Baltic county to test NATOs response.