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US government officials warned US parliamentarians during classified briefings Monday that a second wave of Russian troops in large numbers would likely consolidate the country's positions inside Ukraine and be able to overcome Ukrainian resistance, according to two people with knowledge of the briefings.
Tragic scenes in Kiev
"This piece was disappointing," a deputy told CNN."
Officials also said Russia is likely to lay siege to Ukraine's capital, Kiev, and predicted tragic scenes of urban warfare, one of the people familiar with the matter said.
Huge military convoy
The news reported earlier by the US company Maxar Technologies about the size of the military convoy that has approached the outskirts of Kiev confirms the above US estimates.
Specifically, Maxar reported that the Russian convoy reaches a length of about 67 kilometers and consists of armored vehicles, tanks, artillery trailers and other custodial vehicles, and is located near Ukraine's capital Kiev.
This U.S. company has been tracking the movements of Russian troops for weeks.
New satellite images released show that the Russian military convoy that arrived on the outskirts of Kiev, Ukraine's capital, is even larger than previously broadcast.
And according to a newer statement, the length of the Russian convoy reaches 67 kilometers, up from the 27 kilometers announced by the company earlier on Monday. The variation is due to the collection and analysis of new satellite images, Maxar explained.
On a tightrope
In the meantime, the war situation on the Ukrainian front is teetering on a tightrope as Kiev and Moscow concluded the first round of consultations and agreed to return to the negotiating table in the coming days.
As the talks drew to a close, powerful explosions rocked Kiev, while Russia had been hammering Kharkiv, Mariupol and other cities relentlessly since the morning, with Ukraine reporting dozens of deaths while President Zelensky signed an application for European Union membership.
"Tough response"
Russian President Vladimir Putin also warned the European Union of a "tough response" regarding its decision to send heavy weaponry to Ukraine.
According to Reuters, Moscow has said in no uncertain terms that countries sending military equipment to Ukraine will be held responsible if the equipment is used during the Russian campaign.
At the same time, as TASS reported, Russia stresses that "the EU's moves will not go without a tough response."
Source.gr
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