Russian Pantsir air defence C-band radar signals, update 4th of June 2025
>Link< to the map, blue markers are high-resolution-satellite-imagery confirmed locations of Pantsir air defence systems, red ones are approximations according to the measured radar signals.
Throughout 2025, we have detected very strong C-band radar signals inside of Russia, especially along the frontline with Sentinel-1 satellite imagery. Some investigation showed that the cause for these signals are Pantsir Air Defence systems, as they can be found along the radar signal’s intersections with high resolution imagery. The following locations were confirmed to station a Pantsir system:
Saint Petersburg (near the dam “Damba Finskogo Zaliva”), Smolensk airbase, Kursk/ Khalino airbase, Kirovskoye airbase, Millerovo airbase, Privolzhskiy Radar Base and Krymsk airbase.
The approximate locations of other Pantsir systems must be at the following places: Kubinka airbase, Dyagilevo airbase, Shatalovo airbase, Seshcha airbase, Voronezh airbase, Saky airbase, Budyonnorsk airbase and an ammunition depot south-west of the city Kamensk-Shakthtinsky.
What is new?
One relatively new occurrence of such signals can be found at the Olenya airbase in the Murmansk Oblast, near the Finnish border. The Olenya air base was one of the 5 air bases, that got struck by Ukrainian FPV drones on the 1st of June. Several strategic bombers were destroyed during the strike.
What does it tell us?
- Priorities
The positions of these air defence systems give us an idea on the Russian defence priority. We can differ more important from less important air bases, and especially the Pantsirs not located at an airbase are interesting to look at. The dam in Saint Petersburg seems to be a high value target, and when we look at the signals in Saint Petersburg, then there is very likely, at least another one such system based in the city. In addition, the ammunition depot south-west of the city Kamensk-Shakthtinsky is probably housing something spicy. The airbase Olenya was always important, but only received such a system a short time ago. Probably that was initiated by recent and more frequent drone attacks on the base, or is it related to the increasing Russian military built up near Finland?
- Air Defence Radar Frequency
Either a Pantsir System initially had no C-band capability and therefore must got an upgrade, or the other bands are causing some interferences detectable to a C-band. An upgrade seems more likely and that lets us conclude that there must be strong advantages in C-band air defence systems, we also know that the US air defence system “Patriot” works with C-band radar.