Satellite Imagery Just Confirmed Putin's Worst Nightmare

Paul J. Warburg 15 min

Russia's removal of air defenses from strategic bases proves it is bluffing about attacking NATO. Russia is decisively losing the war due to an air defense shortage it cannot fix.

  • Vladimir Putin

Chapters

  1. 0:00

    Satellite Images Reveal Missing Air Defenses

    Satellite imagery shows Russian Arctic bases missing air defense systems that were present just years ago.

  2. 0:34

    Strategic Bases Are Defenseless

    Critical strategic locations like Severodvinsk and Novaya Zemlya have lost their air defense coverage.

  3. 1:27

    Ukraine Forces the Removal

    Russia is removing systems because Ukraine has forced them to by destroying existing defenses.

  4. 2:27

    Russia Is Bluffing About Escalation

    Russia's lack of defenses contradicts its threats to attack NATO countries or launch nuclear missiles.

  5. 4:32

    War Decided by Air Defense Contest

    The war has shifted to a contest of who can produce and intercept more drones and missiles. Ukraine uses cheap interceptor drones to shoot down expensive Russian drones at a low cost.

  6. 7:05

    Russia Is Losing the Attrition Contest

    Russia is running out of air defense systems faster than Ukraine can replace them. Russia reallocated defenses to Moscow but still lost key refineries and faces unopposed drone attacks.

  7. 9:15

    Putin Admits Air Defense Shortage

    Putin stated that increasing air defense production is now Russia's top priority.

  8. 10:40

    Russia Lacks International Support

    Ukraine receives international help for air defenses while Russia gets nothing significant from partners. Russia's aggressive rhetoric about attacking NATO contradicts its abandonment of bases meant to deter NATO.

  9. 14:05

    Putin Will Try to Disbelieve Evidence

    Putin will try to get people to disbelieve the evidence of their own eyes regarding Russian weakness.

Key points

  • 0:00

    Russian Arctic military bases are missing all air defense systems.

  • 0:34

    Severodvinsk is Russia's only base for building nuclear submarines and is now defenseless.

  • 1:27

    Russia moves systems because Ukraine has forced them to.

  • 2:27

    Russia is bluffing when threatening to attack NATO countries or launch nuclear missiles.

  • 4:32

    The war has shifted to a contest of who can hit infrastructure most effectively.

  • 7:05

    Russia is running out of air defense systems faster than Ukraine.

  • 4:32

    Ukraine intercepts Russian drones using cheap interceptor drones for a low cost.

  • 7:05

    Ukraine took over the Sea of Azov with Russia unable to stop them.

  • 9:15

    Putin stated increasing air defense production is now Russia's top priority.

  • 10:40

    Ukraine has international partners willing to help while Russia gets nothing significant.

Who and where

People · 1

  • Drawing of Vladimir Putin

    Vladimir Putin 4

    President of the Russian Federation

    Photo 1

1. Photo: Пресс-служба Президента России, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Wikidata · redrawn in our house style (Vladimir Putin)

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