Foundation linked to Putin’s daughter in Moscow protected by air defense system - Media
Photo: Katerina Tikhonova, daughter of Russian President Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
A new ring of S-400 air defense systems is being built around Moscow to counter potential Ukrainian ballistic missile strikes. One of the positions was reportedly identified on a site linked to a project owned by Putin’s daughter, according to Radio Svoboda.
The new defensive ring differs from the previous one, which relied on Pantsir systems mounted on towers. The S-400 is designed to intercept ballistic missiles rather than drones. Journalists link the deployment to Ukraine’s development of its own ballistic missile capabilities.
One of the new positions was identified less than 10 kilometers from the Kremlin, in the Vorobyovy Gory area.
It is located on the grounds of an innovation science and technology center, the flagship project of the Innopraktika Foundation, an organization headed by Putin’s younger daughter, Katerina Tikhonova.
In mid-May, a concrete platform covering approximately 4.5 hectares appeared on the site, followed by the deployment of S-300/400 launchers and a 40V6MR tower.
The tower is part of Russia’s air defense system and expands its ability to detect low-altitude targets. The construction activity has been documented in satellite imagery.
Photo: S-400 air defense system positions near the Innopraktika Foundation on June 26, 2026 (svoboda.org)
Meanwhile, while Katerina Tikhonova was speaking via video link at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum about innovative railway wheels and domestically produced alternatives to imported medicines, the event itself took place against the backdrop of Ukrainian drone strikes on the Port of Saint Petersburg and the Russian Navy base in Kronstadt.
RBC-Ukraine reported in May that a new air defense "ring" consisting of Pantsir systems mounted on towers had begun to be built around Moscow.
Two days ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia had concentrated hundreds of S-400, S-500, and Pantsir launchers around Moscow alone, while only a handful of such systems remained in other regions of the country.
