Several videos of the Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile system being installed on several roofs in the Russian capital are circulating on social media.
The most sensational location is undoubtedly on the roof of the Ministry of Defense in Moscow.
Geopolitical analyst at LeBeckMichael Borowitz, is one of several who have posted photos and videos of the installation on Twitter.
– A clear sign that things are going well for Russia, writes the analyst sarcastically.
The Pantsir-S1 is a short-range air defense system with a range of 15 kilometres, and its location on the roof of the Ministry of Defense makes many people scratch their heads.
– This is the recipe for classic jokes about the Soviet army, writes Kyiv Independent journalist Illia Ponomorenko Twitter.
While the installation is ridiculed by some, others believe it is a sign that Russia is now preparing for an escalation of the war:
Several systems with far greater range than Pantsir have already been placed around the capital.
This could mean that the Russians are preparing for critical infrastructure to be attacked at close range.
– Better to be safe
It is also discussed in the pro-Russian blogosphere on Thursday evening. The pro-Putin and influential blogger Boris Rozjin is among those defending the installation.
– Considering the potential threat from various drones, this should be a matter of course. It is better to be safe now, than to regret when things go wrong, writes Rozjin to his hundreds of thousands of followers on Telegram.
Since the beginning of December last year, the Russian air base Engels, which is located hundreds of kilometers inside Russian territory, has been the victim of three drone attacks. The attacks surprised many, especially because it showed how unprepared Russia was for such advances.
Warned possible attack on Moscow
Last week, several Telegram channels published photos that allegedly showed air defense systems appearing in the Losiny Ostrov National Park, writes BBC. According to Sirena, a number of trees were felled in the national park to make room for the anti-aircraft systems.
They also write that pro-military bloggers scared people with talk of a possible Ukrainian attack on Moscow.
Russian authorities have not yet commented on the images.
