Russia deploys new Pantsir systems on Moscow rooftops amid Ukrainian drones threat
Russia appears to be expanding the deployment of advanced rooftop air defense systems across Moscow as Ukrainian long-range drone strikes increasingly penetrate deep into Russian territory.
According to footage analyzed by military analyst Massimo Frantarelli and reported by the Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi, Russian forces recently installed a new Pantsir-SMD-E system on top of the Nordstar Tower business center in northern Moscow.
Video published on 27 May shows a Mil Mi-26 heavy transport helicopter lifting the air defense system onto the roof of the high-rise building.
The Pantsir-SMD-E is a newer anti-drone variant of Russia’s Pantsir family of short-range air defense systems. Unlike the older Pantsir-S1, the SMD-E version reportedly removes the 30 mm autocannons and focuses primarily on missile-based interception of drones and other small aerial targets.
According to Militarnyi, the system can use: 95Ya6 missiles with an interception range of up to 20 km; Smaller TKB-1055 missiles optimized against drones at ranges up to 7 km. The radar package reportedly includes: a phased-array surveillance radar with detection capability up to 24 km; a millimeter-wave targeting radar for engaging smaller targets.
Russia first began placing Pantsir systems on rooftops in Moscow in 2023 after Ukrainian drones repeatedly reached the capital, including areas near the Kremlin and the Russian Defense Ministry.
Since then, Moscow has significantly expanded its layered air defense network around the city. Militarnyi estimates that more than 100 additional air defense systems have been deployed around the Russian capital since 2023, including over 40 new Pantsir-S1 systems added in 2025 alone.
The deployment comes as Ukraine intensifies long-range strikes on Russian military, industrial, and energy infrastructure. Ukrainian forces reportedly targeted facilities including the Tuapse oil refinery and multiple reconnaissance and radar systems during overnight strikes on 27 May.
Sweden will donate 16 Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, with 20 more to be purchased
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has announced that Sweden will transfer 16 used Saab JAS 39 Gripen C/D fighter jets to Ukraine, while negotiations are also underway regarding the future acquisition of 20 newer Gripen E aircraft.
The announcement was made during a joint press conference with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Swedish city of Uppsala.
Kristersson said that Ukraine has identified the Gripen as a priority long-term option for strengthening its air force. According to him, the transfer of the 16 Gripen C/D aircraft is expected to begin in early 2027.
He added that discussions are continuing regarding the newer Gripen E version, which Ukraine may receive or purchase around 2030.
Kristersson stressed that the decision would strengthen not only Ukraine’s air defence but also Europe’s overall security.
According to Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson, training of Ukrainian pilots and technicians for Saab JAS 39 Gripen jets is already underway and will expand in the autumn.
The plan is to start delivering Gripen C/D aircraft to Ukraine early next year, once approvals are finalized. Sweden will also transfer 16 used jets and support long-term expansion of Ukraine’s air force.
The training includes preparing crews to operate modern Western weapons such as IRIS-T, AMRAAM, and Meteor missiles, aiming to build a fully modern, combat-ready air force.
A three-year-old girl and her mother are in critical condition after a Russian attack on a playground in Kherson
The younger of the two girls injured in a Russian strike on a playground in Kherson yesterday has sustained multiple shrapnel wounds across her body, while the girls’ mother remains in extremely serious condition. The three-year-old girl suffered severe blast injuries and multiple wounds. She was transferred to Mykolaiv, where doctors operated to remove shrapnel from her head. Medics are now trying to stabilise her condition so she can be transported to Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv for further treatment.
Her six-year-old sister is being treated at the Kherson Oblast Children’s Hospital. She has already undergone surgery, and doctors say her condition is moderate and her life is not in danger.
The girls’ mother suffered concussion, blast injuries, closed head injuries and multiple shrapnel wounds to her arms, legs and abdomen. She remains in serious condition.
The girls’ father was killed in the attack. The family also has two other children — an adult daughter and a son under 18 — who are now under the care of social services.
Local volunteer Andrii Pietukhov has launched a fundraiser to support the family.
The city mayor urged residents of frontline communities to evacuate, warning people not to place themselves and their loved ones in mortal danger.
Russian attacks injured 12 people, including six children, in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
Russian strikes on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast hit multiple communities on 28 May, damaging homes, infrastructure, and a business.
At least 12 people were injured, including six children aged 1 to 14. Several victims are being treated in the hospital, with one man and one elderly woman in serious condition.
The attacks affected the Nikopol district, Synelnykove district, and Pavlohrad district, with residential areas among the targets.
US embassy confirms it remains in Kyiv despite the Kremlin's latest threats
The US Embassy in Kyiv says it is still fully operating and has not evacuated or reduced staff, rejecting claims that American diplomats left due to Russian threats.
It clarified that all operations continue as normal, though it regularly reviews security conditions. The embassy also reiterated its long-standing warning that US citizens should avoid traveling to Ukraine because of the ongoing war.