Russian military inching toward Kyiv, satellite images show

February 28, 2022 Grayman Share Defense 0

A Russian military convoy is getting closer to Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv, according to new satellite images released Monday by Maxar Technologies.

Maxar first released images of the convoy Sunday, reporting its location to be about 25 miles northwest of Kyiv, near Ivankiv, Ukraine. Today, a representative said the convoy was photographed near the Antonov airport, or about 17 miles from the center of Kyiv, stretching over nearly 17 miles of roads, and containing hundreds of armored vehicles, tanks, towed artillery, and logistics support vehicles.

“They [Russians] continue to want to move on to capture Kyiv,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby of the convoy. “And although we don’t know everything about this convoy, it is certainly, in keeping with what we believe to be their intent with, with respect to the capital city.”

Additional images released by Maxar show evidence of fighting amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine: destroyed armored vehicles and a damaged bridge.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is in its fifth day, but Ukrainians are putting up an effective resistance, currently holding control of all major cities.

Family members hug as they reunite, after fleeing conflict in Ukraine, at the Medyka border crossing, in Poland, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. Since Russia launched its offensive on Ukraine, more than 200,000 people have been forced to flee the country to bordering nations like Romania, Poland, Hungary, Moldova, and the Czech Republic — in what the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, said will have "devastating humanitarian consequences" on civilians. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)

Planet Labs PBC released images Monday that appear to show a fire at Ukraine’s Vasylkiv Air Base outside of Kyiv. CBS News and CNN reported an oil depot near the base caught fire. Ukrainian officials told CNN there was heavy fighting in the area Friday night.

Closer view shows Vasylkiv air base near Vasylkiv, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine, Feb. 28, 2022 (Planet Labs PBC)

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said the conflict in Ukraine is leaving to escalating human rights violations.

“We know the inevitable result of war: civilian casualties; women, children and men forced from their homes; hunger; poverty; and huge economic disruption,” Guterres said in opening remarks of the regular session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva today. “We must show all people in Ukraine that we stand by them in their time of need.”

The U.N General Assembly opened an emergency session Monday to address the invasion, with the assembly president calling for an immediate cease-fire.

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