Satellites record delivery of tanks and artillery to Russian bases near NATO borders

Russia is once again replenishing its stockpiles with heavy weaponry, including near NATO countries. Satellite imagery shows that new armoured vehicles and artillery systems are being delivered there, as well as equipment damaged in the war against Ukraine.

What was recorded in satellite imagery

A detailed analysis of the visualisations was carried out by the Russian independent publication "Vazhlivi Istoryi" ("Important Stories"). According to their data, over the past months, reserves of tanks and armoured vehicles that have just come off production lines are being formed in various parts of Russia. Particular attention is being paid to bases near Finland and the Baltic states.

Specifically, from autumn 2025 to October 2026, T-90M tanks, BTR-82A armoured personnel carriers, BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles, and, presumably, repair and evacuation equipment were supplied to the 22nd Central Reserve Base in the city of Buysk. This base is located approximately 500 km from the borders of Estonia and Latvia.

In Karelia, just 185 km from the Finnish border, the Mobilisation Support Centre has been receiving "Malva" artillery systems and "Gatsint-K" self-propelled guns since 2025.

Three expert versions

Analysts offer several explanations for this activity. The first is the restoration of strategic reserves that were depleted in the first years of the full-scale invasion. In early 2025, the Oryx project, which tracks losses based on open data, recorded approximately 20,000 units of heavy equipment lost since the start of the full-scale invasion, including nearly 12,000 armoured vehicles.

The second hypothesis is related to the effectiveness of equipment on the front line. Tanks and armoured vehicles are being returned to bases due to the increasing threat from drones. Their size and low manoeuvrability make them vulnerable to detection and destruction by drones.

The third version assumes the buildup of potential for a new offensive. Although experts do not link this to an attack on any NATO member, they do not rule out such a threat.

«Броньовані машини теоретично можуть бути використані російськими збройними силами в конфронтації з НАТО» ("Armoured vehicles could theoretically be used by the Russian armed forces in a confrontation with NATO"), believes investigative journalist Mark Krutov. According to him, Russian tanks would have more chances in a confrontation with Alliance countries than in fighting the Ukrainian drone system.

Military infrastructure context

Russia has been expanding its military infrastructure near the borders with Alliance countries for more than a year. In February, it became known about the restoration of Soviet-era garrisons in Karelia, where the 44th Army Corps was formed in 2024. This week, Belarusian analysts reported that Moscow is building a protected military communications network on the territory of Belarus, which extends to the borders of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Ukraine.