At least five Russian military sites near Sweden’s borders have been upgraded in recent years—satellite images from Planet Labs reveal. Imagery from April and May 2025 captures fresh activity at both Soviet-era and post-Soviet bases, including those in Kaliningrad Oblast, on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, on the Kola Peninsula, and in the Belarusian town of Osipovichi.
On the grounds of an old nuclear storage facility in Osipovichi, the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) notes the construction of a triple security fence, the installation of an air-defence system, and a new rail-loading platform—signs that the site has taken on renewed importance in Russia’s military logistics.
Satellite Images of the Russian Military Base in Osipovichi
2021.
2025.
Just outside Kaliningrad—barely 270 kilometres from Sweden’s maritime border—satellite images reveal new buildings, triple fencing, and modern communications systems. The upgrades have heightened regional anxiety: as early as April 2024, Polish President Andrzej Duda warned that Kaliningrad Oblast could serve as a base for nuclear missiles.
Satellite Image of the Russian Military Base in Kaliningrad Oblast
2025.
Activity is also evident on Novaya Zemlya—a testing range used for Soviet-era nuclear detonations. Satellite data further indicate that roughly 50 storage facilities for submarine-launched ballistic missiles have been built on the Kola Peninsula, alongside a new pier for loading them onto submarines.
Satellite Images of the Russian Military Base on Novaya Zemlya
2021.
2025.
Satellite Image of the Russian Military Base on the Kola Peninsula
2025.
Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson said Stockholm has been monitoring these developments for some time: "We are aware of this and have been tracking the situation for a long period. It concerns both Russia’s investments in nuclear capabilities and the development of a new doctrine."
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