Convoy of Russian tanks now stretches for 40 miles as troops edge closer to Kyiv

A Russian military convoy moving towards Kyiv is more than double the size of original estimates as troops attempt to lay siege to the capital, a satellite company has warned.

Tanks and armoured vehicles were said to stretch for 17 miles early on Monday – but are now believed to be 40 miles long, according to US private firm Maxar Technologies.

The convoy expands from the Antonov airbase, just 17 miles north of Kyiv’s city centre to just north of the Ukrainian town of Pribyrs’k, which is near the Belarus border. This is roughly the same as the distance from Manchester to Leeds.

US officials told CNN they are not only concerned by the size of the convoy, but also by the increase in violence, civilian casualties and indiscriminate killings over the past few days.

For the latest updates on the Russia-Ukraine war, visit our live blog: Russia-Ukraine live

Shocking footage this morning shows the bombardment of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, with President Volodymyr Zelensky claiming Russians are deliberately targeting civilians.

Vladimir Putin has been accused of war crimes after allegedly using devastating vacuum bombs and cluster munitions during the invasion.

The advance on Kyiv has made little progress over the past 24 hours likely due to continuing logistical difficulties, the British defence ministry has said.

But multiple U.S. intelligence officials have cautioned that the huge numbers of Russian troops are likely to crush the Ukrainian resistance – amid claims Belarus troops have crossed the border to join Putin’s invasion.

Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitchsko said on Monday his people ‘never were so patriotic’ and the city would hold out ‘so long as we can survive’.

‘I have never been so proud of our soldiers. Our soldiers are heroes. Civilians are building defenses’, he said.

‘People are taking weapons and are ready to defend our homes, defend our families, our future and our country.

‘I am really proud. The army is not interested in how strong the Russian army is; we are ready to fight, and ready to die for our home.

‘Because it is our future. Somebody wants to come to our home and steal our future from us.’

One image released by Maxar Technologies shows hundreds of military vehicles extending for more than 3.25 miles.

It’s unknown whether they are all travelling to the same destination or whether they will eventually split up to surround a particular area.

‘Russian forces have increased their use of artillery north of Kyiv and in vicinities of Kharkiv and Chernihiv’, the British defence ministry briefing said.

‘The use of heavy artillery in densely populated urban areas greatly increases the risk of civilian casualties.

‘Russia has failed to gain control of the airspace over Ukraine prompting a shift to night operations in an attempt to reduce their losses.’

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