The leadership of the Russian Federation, taking into account the regular drone strikes on Moscow and reports of Soviet-style SA-5 GAMMON missile strikes, is beginning to fear an increase in the level of threats expanding to more remote corners of Russia, according to British intelligence.

“The leadership of Russia’s Aerospace Forces (VKS) is highly likely under intense pressure to improve air defences over western Russia,” the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland said on Twitter on Sunday.

The British specialists believe that “in recent months, the range of threats penetrating well inside Russia has increased, and strikes deep inside Russia are strategically important because President Putin almost certainly invaded Ukraine on the assumption that it would have little direct effect on Russians.”

As noted, unmanned aerial vehicles regularly strike Moscow. “In addition, there have also been increasing reports of SA-5 GAMMON missiles striking Russia. This Soviet-era 7.5 tonne, 11-metre long weapon is retired from its air defence role in Ukraine’s inventory. However, it is now apparently being employed as a ground attack ballistic missile,” the experts believe.

“Pressure is likely to particularly fall on VKS Chief of Staff, Colonel-General Viktor Afzalov; VKS Commander-in-Chief General Sergei Surovikin remains absent, suspected to have been detained in relation to the June 2023 Wagner Group mutiny,” the British intelligence note.