[Cyprus Times] A huge convoy of Russian vehicles north of Kiev stretches for 64 km.

Maxar also mentioned a concentration of Russian ground forces and wings of attack helicopters in southern Belarus, some 30 kilometers from the Ukrainian border

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Satellite images yesterday Monday recorded that Russian military convoy north of Kiev stretches 64 kilometers long, much longer than previously reported - when it was said to be 27 kilometers[/B].- - according to US-based private company Maxar Technologies.

The convoy includes hundreds of armored vehicles, tanks, self-propelled guns and surveillance support vehicles and is heading south towards Kiev, according to the company.

Satellite images of the private #American company Maxar show many kilometers long columns of #Russian military equipment approaching #Kyiv from the northwest. It is located a few dozen kilometers from the city pic.twitter.com/4lL6mqDiYz

- NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 1, 2022

"It stretches from the outskirts of Antonov airport (about 25 km) to the outskirts of Andonov airport (about 25 km). from the centre of Kiev) in the south to the outskirts of Pribirsk" in the north," Maxar reported.

The airport has, since the start of the invasion, become a theatre of fierce fighting as Vladimir Putin's army tries to seize this key military infrastructure ahead of the operation to take over the Ukrainian capital.

In the convoy, as recorded by satellites, "some vehicles are sometimes very far apart from each other," while "in other parts of the convoy vehicles are arranged in pairs or triads side by side," Maxar added.

Convoy update based on analysis of additional imagery provided by @maxar: Troops are at Antonov Airport, meaning military vehicles & equipment are stretched out along 40 miles of road. Important: this image shows homes on fire along the route https:/t.co/ypUM31PmId pic.twitter.com/IZWzv4akju

- Christoph Koettl (@ckoettl) March 1, 2022

[BR]

The images show hundreds of vehicles, one behind the other, on the streets of the Ukrainian province and, occasionally, smoke in the distance, coming from burning buildings, according to the company.

Maxar also released images documenting new concentrations of Russian ground forces, vehicles and attack helicopter blades in southern Belarus, less than 30 km from the Ukrainian border.

Since the start of the Russian offensive on Thursday, Ukrainian forces have currently managed to defend the approaches to central Kiev and the advance of Russian troops has "slowed" on the fifth day of the invasion as they gather around the Ukrainian capital.

According to two sources interviewed by Agence France-Presse yesterday, one diplomatic and one close to the security services, Moscow is preparing to launch an immediate assault on Kiev.

The main Russian force moving towards the Ukrainian capital has "advanced about five kilometers" and is "about 25 kilometers." from the city, a U.S. Defense Department official estimated earlier.

Source: protothema.gr

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