finwarden ← Back to 2026-04-13 briefingSatellite Coverage
Summary
Satellite analysis fresh (latest 2026-04-12 15:05:30 UTC).
Why this matters
Activity at military sites — vehicle movement, construction, equipment staging — can indicate preparation, rotation, or capability changes.
What we saw
The SAR data indicates normal activity at the Gusev-garrison military facility. The low VH/VV ratio suggests limited vegetation or rough surfaces.
SAR data indicates normal activity at Severomorsk-NorthFleet. The polarimetric ratio suggests limited scattering from complex structures, consistent with routine operations.
Olenya airbase shows normal SAR activity with a VV increase of 0.5 dB and a VH/VV ratio of -7.2 dB. No aircraft are visible on the runway or in the immediate vicinity, and vehicle concentration appears to be minimal.
The satellite image of Chernyakhovsk airbase shows a low level of activity. The runway is clear and there are few vehicles visible.
The SAR data indicates normal activity at the Donskoye-missiles facility. The polarimetric ratio suggests no significant changes in surface roughness or scattering characteristics.
The satellite image of Kaliningrad-Chkalovsk shows a clear runway with no visible aircraft or vehicles. The SAR data indicates normal activity levels.
The SAR data indicates normal activity at the Baltiysk naval facility. The vehicle concentration appears low, and no aircraft are visible.
The satellite image of Kapustin Yar shows a low level of activity. The runway appears clear and there are few vehicles visible.
SAR data indicates a VV increase of 2.2 dB compared to the baseline, while the VH/VV ratio is -8.4 dB, suggesting some changes at the airbase. The overall activity level is moderate, with a low vehicle concentration and no visible aircraft.
The satellite image of Millerovo airbase shows a clear runway and low vehicle concentration. SAR data indicates normal activity levels with no significant changes from the baseline.
SAR data indicates normal activity at the Rostov-Southern-HQ facility. The low vehicle concentration and normal SAR signatures suggest routine operations.
SAR data indicates a significant change in VV polarization (+4.7 dB) compared to the baseline, while the VH/VV ratio is -6.8 dB. The runway appears clear, and there are a few vehicles visible, suggesting a moderate level of activity.
How sure we are
Last data: 2026-04-12 15:05 UTC
Basis: Sentinel-2 optical + Sentinel-1 SAR (revisit ~5 days)
Limitation: Cloud cover can block optical imagery. SAR provides backup but lower interpretability.
How we know
We analyze Sentinel-2 optical imagery (10m resolution) and Sentinel-1 SAR radar of monitored military sites. Changes are detected by comparing current imagery against seasonal baselines.
Primary source: Copernicus Sentinel-2 / Sentinel-1