In what could be the final stage of preparedness on part of Russia, new satellite images captured over the past 48 hours show deployment of Russian bomber jets and attack helicopters at forward locations. Experts believe that any Russian assault is likely to start with air and missile strikes and not with ground tanks as the ground near the borders might not be conducive for tanks.
The imagery also shows further movement of battle groups which had been stationed within 100-200 km range from the borders over the past few weeks.
India issued an advisory for its nationalsparticularly students in Ukraine, urging them to leave “temporarily” in view of the present situation.
New images captured on February 13 suggest that Russia has deployed Su-34 bombers to the forward Primorsko-Akhtarsk airfield, located almost 75 miles from Ukraine’s vulnerable frontier city — Mariupol. The airbase is associated with the 960th Attack Aviation Regiment that has fight experience in Chechnya. According to the US based space firm Maxar Technologies, pictures taken over Belarus, Crimea and western Russia show departure of several ground forces units from existing garrisons along in convoy formation.
Lake Donuzlav of Crimea that essentially operates as a bay, has also witnessed arrival of transport and attack helicopters recently. At least 65 helicopters including a mix of transport and attack helicopters, along with troops can be seen at the bay. These include Russian Mi-28N and Ka-52 attack helicopters among others.
Russian forces have been gathering on Ukraine’s north, east and south at the pretext of military exercises. According to a report by Associated Press, the US officials estimate deployment of more than 130,000 Russian troops towards the forward positions; a number sharply increased from approximately 100,000 troops in previous weeks.
Satellite images captured on Monday indicate that the recently identified troop’s deployment at the Belarusian city of Rechitsa has likely moved forward. Satellite images from earlier this month had showed several tent encampments been created at Rechitsa.
Further use of air assets can be seen at the Machulishchy airfield in Belarus with deployments of Mi-26 heavy lift helicopters on February 12.
Comparison of another set of imagery covering Yelnya, in Russia’s northwestern Smolensk region, suggests that the earlier seen deployment of self-propelled artillery being moved closer to the Ukrainian border. Battle groups seen earlier in the satellite pictures have also been moved. The earlier identified place was about 120 kilometers from the border with Belarus and almost 250 kilometers from Ukraine.
Satellite picture from February 13 showed flatcars being used to transport self-propelled artillery.
New helicopter unit, possibly consisting Russian Mi-8AMTSh — a transport helicopter which also carries various ground-attack weapons and Mi-28 attack helicopters is also seen in the latest imagery over Belgorod. It is located in the south-west of Russia, close to the border with Ukraine.
A battle-group deployed in Pogonovo, west Russia may have also have moved further towards the borders as new satellite pictures showed departure of the group. Pogonovo is situated almost 150 km from the border.
While the Ukrainian leadership has indicated that February 16 could be the day of the Russian attack, Pentagon spokesperson on Monday said that the US did not believe if Putin had made a decision to invade, but added that it was possible for him (Putin) to move with little to no warning.
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