Satellite pics show 40 mile long Russian convoy nearing Kyiv

Moscow: A Russian military convoy threatening Kyiv is far bigger than initially thought, with satellite images showing it occupying much of a 40 mile stretch of road north of Kyiv. 

According to details, the images were taken from satellite technology company Maxar, showing evidence of fighting outside the city.

The high-resolution pictures—taken by Maxar— show destroyed vehicles and a damaged bridge. The images also show the convoy on the outskirts of Kyiv at its nearest point.

It comes as more than 70 Ukrainian soldiers were killed after Russian artillery hit a military base in Okhtyrka, a city between Kharkiv and Kyiv.

As per Maxar, the convoy currently covers from Antonov airbase, which is 17-miles north from Kyiv's city center, to the northern outskirts of Pribyrsk, Ukraine. 

The satellite images also displayed more ground force deployments and ground attack helicopter units in southern Belarus, less than 20 miles north of the border with Ukraine. 

Reportedly, the vehicles in the convoy included tanks, armored trucks, and other Russian military-grade vehicles.

In the recent satellite images, some showed smoke and fire rising from buildings near Ivankiv, Ukraine — but it was not immediately clear what the damage was caused by.

On the border with Belarus, a Ukrainian delegation held talks with Russian officials, though they ended with no agreements except to keep talking. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone with Mr Putin, urging him to halt the offensive.

On February 24, Russian forces attacked Ukraine by air and have continued a sustained ground assault across the country, with fighting nearing Kyiv in the past days. 

Amidst this world event, Russia and Ukraine's leadership met for negotiations in Belarus on Monday but did not come to any immediate resolutions. 

In the meantime, Western sanctions triggered by the invasion sent the Russian rouble plummeting, leading ordinary Russians to line up at banks and ATMs. 

Following the tensions, Russian teams were suspended from all international soccer matches, including qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup— pushing the country toward sports pariah status.