Finnish media: Russia moves missiles from St. Petersburg to Ukraine

The anti-aircraft defense of Russia’s second most important city is being reduced

Satellite images show that Russia has moved a large number of anti-aircraft missiles from St. Petersburg to Ukraine.

Satellite images reveal that launchers “disappeared” over the summer from a base in the Zelenogorsk region on the Karelian Isthmus, northwest of St. Petersburg, among other places, Finnish media outlet Yle reports.

As noted, St. Petersburg – Russia’s second most important city – has long been surrounded by a protective ring of 14 anti-aircraft missile bases.

Now many of them are vacant, at least according to the Finnish media.

Yle has acquired most of the satellite images from commercial operators, supplementing with images from the Google Earth Pro application.

The most obvious change can be seen southwest of St. Petersburg.

The images show that about 25 missile containers, possibly containing 100 missiles, have been removed from one of the two remaining batteries.

Besides, not only the missile containers, but also a number of vehicles that had been in the countryside for years, have disappeared.

There was also a significant transfer of equipment from a base southeast of St. Petersburg—about 10 launchers as well as other vehicles.

Most of the remaining anti-aircraft missiles in the St. Petersburg area are from the S-400 missile system.

Experts say the equipment removed is mostly from the old S-300 system.