Russia appears to be advancing in its invasion of Ukraine with satellite images showing a huge convoy – some 40 miles or 65 kilometers long – of Russian military vehicles heading towards the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
The following satellite image was taken by US company Maxar Technologies on Monday. It appears to show a convoy of Russian tanks and armored trucks extending from Pybirsk, further north of Kyiv, to Antonov airport (also known as Hostemel airport – where last week’s fighting took place between the forces. Russia and Ukraine) in the northeastern suburbs of the Ukrainian capital.
A satellite image by Maxar Technologies taken on February 28 shows a Russian convoy entering the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. The company said the images show the northern end of the convoy, with its logistics and supply vehicles. Satellite image (c) 2022 Maxar Technologies.
Maxar Technology | beautiful pictures
In some areas of the convoy, vehicles appeared to be traveling with three or four people on the road. The distance along the road is about 40 miles.
It should be noted that the situation in Ukraine is evolving rapidly and may now be different from what is seen in these images, which show the convoy on Sunday and Monday.
The following two images were taken by Maxar Technologies on Sunday. At this point, the convoy did not seem to cover a large area and clouds obscured the view of the entire area.
A satellite image by Maxar Technologies taken on February 27 shows a Russian convoy entering the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. The large Russian ground force deployment is seen in the convoy northeast of Ivankiv, Ukraine. Satellite Imagery (c) 2022 Maxar Technologies
Maxar | Maxar | beautiful pictures
A satellite image by Maxar Technologies taken on February 27 shows a Russian convoy entering the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. The large Russian ground force deployment is seen in the convoy northeast of Ivankiv, Ukraine. Satellite Imagery (c) 2022 Maxar Technologies
Maxar | Maxar | beautiful pictures
Official sources have not confirmed the existence of the convoy, but there are concerns that Russia is preparing to launch an all-out assault on Kyiv, a city it has not occupied despite having taken place. suburban skirmishes.
Other images from Maxar show additional military activity in southern Belarus, which borders Ukraine and is an ally of Russia, with ground forces and ground attack helicopter units seen. in the image. Again, official sources have yet to confirm whether these units – or more broadly Belarus – are preparing to join Russian forces in an attack on Ukraine.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Monday reiterated that his country has no plans to join the invasion, according to state news agency Belta.
Will Ukraine surrender?
Russia started its invasion of Ukraine last Thursday and its forces have attacked various cities and regions in the north, east and south of the country. However, analysts say Russia has made slower progress in its push into the country and has encountered more resistance than expected.
However, if Russia prepares to launch a much tougher assault on the capital, Kyiv, how Ukraine’s armed forces and civilian forces will respond is far more uncertain.
The Pentagon has noted that the Kremlin still want his army to capture Kyivdespite stiff Ukrainian resistance.
“We have every indication that they still want to take Kyiv, that they are moving on the ground and trying to get closer,” a senior defense official told CNBC on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity. to share new details from the Pentagon. evaluate, evaluate, evaluate.
Separately, analysts at Teneo Intelligence on Monday concluded that “The Kremlin appears committed to eliminating Ukraine’s political leadership role, while the movement of Russian military forces shows the prepared for new, potentially heavier, military action against the capital Kyiv and other key cities in the coming days.”
However, the UK Department of Defense takes a more sober view of Russia’s progress, tweeting on Monday in their intelligence update that
Peace talks were held between Russian and Ukrainian delegates on Monday, in neighboring Belarus, and although no breakthrough was achieved, there is hope that the talks will continue. in the coming days.
For its part, Ukraine declared that it would not surrender to Russia and demanded an immediate ceasefire and forced Russian forces out of its territory.
“Ukraine is ready to continue to seek a diplomatic solution, but Ukraine is not ready to surrender or surrender“, Secretary of State Dmytro Kuleba told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble on Monday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pessimistic about the outcome of the talks, and Kuleba told CNBC he doesn’t know if the talks will be successful.
“I am a diplomat, I have to believe in the success of the negotiations, but at the same time my main goal as a diplomat now is to impose more sanctions on Russia. , sending more weapons to Ukraine and isolating Russia as much as we can on the international stage so I’m focusing on this part of diplomacy,” Kuleba said.
“We are not only on our side but for the world order as we all know it.”
The foreign minister said that “every 24 hours is very important, because Russia deploys more and more military power over Ukraine, hundreds of tanks move into the country, they dominate the skies with bombers, rockets, rockets are being thrown on our peaceful cities, civilians are being killed, but we continue to fight.”
He said the war had become a “real people’s war against Russian aggression.”
Russia has launched attacks both on land and in the air, with major cities reporting shelling and damage to buildings. Both sides say several of their soldiers were killed, and Ukraine has reported that hundreds of its citizens have been killed in Russian attacks, including several children.
The invasion resulted in large numbers of Ukrainians attempting to flee the country for safety in Eastern Europe, although many also stayed behind to defend their homes and country.
– CNBC’s Amanda Macias contributed reporting to this story.
