Satellite Pics: Bomb Crater In Olympic Stadium, Destroyed Homes In Ukraine

The latest satellite imagery shows the magnitude of destruction of Ukrainian cities as the Russian invasion in the pro-western country entered its third week on Wednesday.

The images released by Maxar Technologies, a private US company, reveal significant damage to residential and civilian infrastructure in and around multiple Ukrainian cities, including Sumy, Chernihiv and Kharkiv.

Before and after comparison of damaged homes and buildings in Volnovakha, Southern Ukraine. (high res: here)

Russian self-propelled artillery and multiple rocket launchers (MRL)  have been deployed on the outskirts of Chernihiv, the images show.

Before/after comparison of Volnovakha, Southern Ukraine with extensive damage to buildings near the train station. (high res: here)

The aftermath of Thursday's reported destruction of multiple Russian helicopters at an airfield in the southern region of Kherson is also among the satellite images shared by the company.

Destroyed Russian helicopters on tarmac and Russian ground forces deployment at Kherson airfield. (high res: here)

The satellite imagery also reveals Russian ground forces, engineering equipment and attack and troop transport helicopters deployments in southern Belarus.

The images give the clearest direct evidence of the destruction of Ukraine's cities and residential centres by the advancing Russian forces.

Large craters and damaged Olympic sports training center/stadium. (high res: here)

The UN's top court, International Court of Justice (ICJ), on Wednesday ordered Russia to suspend its invasion of Ukraine, saying it was "profoundly concerned" by Moscow's use of force.

"The Russian Federation shall immediately suspend military operations that it commenced on 24 February on the territory of Ukraine," pending the final decision in the case, presiding judge Joan Donoghue told the International Court of Justice, or ICJ.

International outrage against Moscow grew on Thursday after the alleged Russian attack on the theatre. "Today, the invaders destroyed the Drama Theatre. A place, where more than a thousand people found refuge. We will never forgive this," the Mariupol local council said in a Telegram post.

Moscow has denied targeting civilians and Russia's defence ministry said its forces had not struck the building.

Both Russia and Ukraine have continued talks to reach a negotiated settlement through the talks being held in Belarus. Ukraine has rejected proposals put forward by Russia to become a neutral country, like Austria or Sweden.

The US has establised the first high-level contact between the two countries since the invasion. US national security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke with Nikolay Patrushev, the secretary of Russia's Security Council, in the first publicly disclosed contact and told the Russian leader that if Moscow is "serious about diplomacy then Moscow should stop attacking Ukrainian cities and towns," the statement said.