Even as crippling economic sanctions hit Russia and humanitarian corridors are set up to evacuate civilians from Ukraine, an intense fight is raging in and around Ukraine's capital Kyiv. A set of high-resolution satellite pictures released by a private US company shows the ongoing military activity as well as some of the recent damage caused by airstrikes and artillery shelling.
Armoured vehicles moving northeast of Antonov airport at Hostomel, Ukraine. For high res image, click: here
The pictures released by Maxar Technologies show ground force movement around the strategically crucial Antonov airport which is currently under Russian control. Armoured vehicles and equipment can be seen manoeuvring to the northeast and southwest of Antonov Airport (near Hostomel, Ukraine). Nearby, people are leaving from Irpin near the damaged bridge over the Irpin River. Multiple bomb craters are visible in the fields and surrounding areas.
The damaged Irpin bridge and bomb craters in the field. For high res image, click: here
The pictures were taken on Tuesday, Maxar Technologies said.
One of the images shows a damaged bridge over the river in Irpin, a strategic suburb west of Kyiv. Ukraine had earlier taken the drastic step of blowing up the bridges on the western flank of the Ukrainian capital in a desperate bid to slow the Russian tanks.
Damaged bridge over Irpin river, west of Kyiv. For high res image, click: here
Ukrainian troops have been fighting invading Russian forces around Irpin, seen as a critical point for the advance on the capital, for days.
Several bomb craters can be seen in a field close to the Irpin river. Russian ground forces have faced stiff resistance on their way into Kyiv as most of the bridges on the rivers on the western flank of the capital from where Russian tanks are pushing in have been blown up by Ukrainian forces.
Armoured vehicles moving northeast of Antonov airport in Hostomel, Ukraine. For high res image, click: here
After Russian and Ukrainian officials agreed to establish "humanitarian corridors" to allow civilians out of some towns and cities besieged by Russian forces, Ukraine began evacuating citizens from Irpin yesterday.
The UK defence ministry on Monday had accused Russia of targeting evacuation corridors in Irpin. The ministry noted that due to heavy fighting, Irpin has been without heat, water, or electricity for several days.
Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognised Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities.
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