The Russian convoy of more than 60 kilometers near Kyiv began to move

Russian convoy heading to Kyiv reportedly dispersed 0:48

(CNN) —

The 40-mile-long Russian military convoy, complete with tanks, armored vehicles and artillery, has struck fear among Ukrainians defending their country as it lumbers toward the capital Kyiv.

• Russia-Ukraine War: Breaking News, Invasion Analysis and News

The column of vehicles remained stagnant for a week.

But now the forces appear to be regrouping, according to Maxar Technologies satellite images taken on Thursday showing parts of the convoy that had "largely dispersed and redeployed."

Russia is regrouping for a possible attack on Kyiv, Britain's defense officials warn, after initially making limited progress in its advance on the capital.

Towed artillery and other vehicles are seen sheltered in a wooded area near Lubyanka.

What we know about the convoy

An update from Britain's Defense Ministry on Friday indicated that Russia "is likely looking to re-establish and reposition its forces for renewed offensive activity in the coming days."

He added that this would probably "include operations against the capital, Kyiv."

As the clouds temporarily clear around the Ukrainian capital, Maxar said satellite images show that some elements of the convoy have "relocated" to forests and wooded areas near Lubyanka, Ukraine.

The images were taken on Thursday at 11:37 am local time (4:37 am ET).

advertising

• Some 6,000 Russian soldiers may have been killed in Ukraine so far, according to a US official.

According to satellite images, Russian military vehicles can be seen on the streets of residential areas in the city of Ozera, 27 kilometers northwest of Kyiv and just north of the Russian-controlled Antonov airbase in Hostomel.

Towed artillery and other vehicles are seen sheltered in scattered patches of trees near Lubyanka, about 4 kilometers northwest of the Antonov air base.

Russian military vehicles are seen in this image over residential streets in Ozera.

At Berestyanka, 10 miles west of the air base, several fuel trucks and what Maxar says appear to be multiple rocket launchers are located in a field near trees.

Satellite images taken on Thursday also appear to show burning fuel storage tanks at the air base, along with a thick plume of black smoke billowing from the vehicles, located on the southern edge of the air base.

This is the panorama in the cities of Kharkiv and Dnipro 0:37

The Hostómel airbase has been the scene of intense clashes with Ukrainian forces since the beginning of the Russian invasion.

Supposedly, the Russian Army took the place on February 24.

At the end of what was the convoy, several trucks and equipment can still be seen on the road southeast of Ivankiv.

• ANALYSIS |

  After more than three decades covering Russia, I am leaving in despair.

  A man has extinguished the bright hope that many once felt

What satellite images of the convoy show

Satellite images from Maxar also reveal significant damage to parts of the city of Chernihiv and the northwestern suburbs of Kyiv.

It is noted that in Borodyanka a number of apartment buildings were demolished.

CNN previously reported that these buildings sustained damage from Russian military strikes.

Odessa protects its cultural heritage from Russian attacks 0:37

A satellite image shows that just outside Kyiv's city limits in Stoyanka, the fire completely destroyed a warehouse.

In the city of Chernihiv, approximately 128 kilometers northeast of Kyiv, the Epicenter K supermarket was also destroyed by fire.

The charred remains of the building, which was left without a roof, can be seen.

• This is what we know about the 60 km long Russian convoy outside the Ukrainian capital

A fire is also seen in one of Chernihiv's industrial districts, located on its southern side.

Russia reorients its forces

The Ukrainians successfully intercepted and attacked an advancing Russian tank column on Thursday, as fighting resumed in northeastern and eastern Kyiv.

An overnight airstrike carried out on the Brovary district, just east of the capital, left no casualties, according to Kyiv authorities.

• Is it safe to travel to Europe in the midst of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine?

In addition, Ukrainian authorities reported a missile attack on the city of Baryshivka overnight, some 72 kilometers east of the capital.

"According to preliminary information, an Iskander missile caused significant damage to infrastructure and housing. Sixty apartment houses were completely damaged, 4 apartment buildings and 10 private houses were partially damaged," they said.

Several fuel trucks and what Maxar says appear to be multiple rocket launchers are seen positioned in a field in Berestyanka.

Thomas Bullock, an analyst at Janes, a British-based intelligence service, told CNN that "Ukraine's tactic of targeting supply lines has worked well. Especially during the first 5 to 10 days of the war. This was partly due to Ukrainian tactics and partly due to how Russia operated."

Russia's forces "prioritized advancing rapidly to secure their objectives" in the early days of the invasion.

This meant that they "did not advance as a coherent front line that secured territory as they approached. This allowed Ukrainian forces to slip behind Russia's advanced mechanized units and attack logistics columns traveling on unsafe roads." in the rear."

However, as "Russia begins to reorient its forces for a longer war, following its failure to secure a quick victory," it is "unclear how effective this tactic will be," Bullock added.

• Ukraine and Russia hold talks as the war continues: here's what you need to know

The update from Britain's Defense Ministry added that logistical problems continue to hamper the Russian advance, "as does strong Ukrainian resistance."

France's armed forces spokesman Pascal Ianni reiterated Britain's assessment on Friday.

In that regard, he said that the Russian Army was poorly prepared for its invasion of Ukraine and now faces many difficulties on the ground.

"Especially in the logistics field and in the intelligence field," he told French television station France2.

"It is possible that an attack will be carried out in Kyiv in the next few days. But in reality, taking control of Kyiv is a completely different matter and it will take a long, long time," he insisted.

The convoy is believed to have entered Ukraine through Belarus, a key ally of President Vladimir Putin.

In fact, it is the country where Russia has moved large numbers of troops in recent weeks to carry out what they called joint exercises.

When the training ended, the Russian troops did not leave and satellite images showed that Moscow increased its military presence in the country.

|

Russian forces bombed a mother and child hospital on March 9 in Mariupol, Ukraine.

|

At least 17 people were injured, including mothers and staff, as a result of the Russian attack on the Mariupol maternity hospital, according to preliminary reports from the Donetsk police.

The image shows a vehicle on fire in the hospital area.

(twitter)

|

An injured pregnant woman leaves the damaged mother and child hospital with her belongings.

(Evgeny Maloletka/AP)

|

A woman leaves the hospital holding her head with her hand.

(Evgeny Maloletka/AP)

|

People are assisted as they exit a building in the bombing area to a hospital.

(Photo from Twitter)

|

A medical worker walks inside the damaged hospital after the Russian attack.

(Evgeny Maloletka/AP)

|

Ukrainian soldiers and emergency personnel work in the area of ​​the shelling of the maternity hospital in Mariupol.

(Evgeny Maloletka/AP)

|

An injured man leaves the building.

Evgeny Maloletka/AP

|

A man takes his son from the hospital.

Evgeny Maloletka/AP

|

Ukrainian servicemen work inside the damaged hospital.

Yevgeni Maloletka/AP

|

Ukraine's government on Wednesday accused Russia of having committed "the atrocity" of bombing a mother and child hospital in the besieged port city of Mariupol.

(Evgeny Maloletka/AP) →

|

People take shelter on the floor of a hospital during shelling in Mariupol on March 4.

(Evgeny Maloletka/AP)

|

Smoke rises from an air defense base after an apparent Russian attack on Mariupol on February 24.

A CNN crew in Mariupol reported hearing an artillery barrage.

(Evgeny Maloletka/AP)

|

Ukrainian emergency workers work at the site of the bombing.

"People, the children are under the rubble," Russian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram.

"Atrocious! How long will the world be complicit in ignoring terror?"

Yevgeni Maloletka/AP

|

A volunteer examines the damage.

Yevgeni Maloletka/AP

|

Smoke rises after the shelling in Mariupol on March 9.

(Evgeny Maloletka/AP)

|

In a residential area in the center of Mariupol, several houses were damaged and at least two were completely destroyed by Russian attacks.

The satellite image was taken on March 9, 2022. (Satellite image ©2022 Maxar Technologies)

|

To the north of Mariupol the Portcity shopping mall also appears to have sustained significant fire damage.

The image was taken on March 9, 2022. (Satellite image ©2022 Maxar Technologies)

|

Marina Yatsko runs after her boyfriend, Fedor, as they arrive at the hospital with her 18-month-old son, Kirill, who was injured in shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Friday, March 4.

Medical workers desperately tried to save the boy's life, but he did not survive.

(Evgeny Maloletka/AP)

|

Paramedics treat an elderly woman injured by shelling before taking her to a hospital in Mariupol on March 2.

(Evgeny Maloletka/AP)

The dispersal of the convoy comes after Ukraine's main cities – including Dnipro in the center and Lutsk in the far west of the country – were attacked by Russian forces on Friday.

As Ukrainian officials tried to open evacuation routes around Kyiv on Friday, the UN said 2.5 million people had fled the country and 2 million are displaced within Ukraine.

CNN's Tim Lister reported from Kyiv.

CNN's Gianluca Mezzofiore and Tara John reported and wrote from London.

Paul Murphy Celine Alkhaldi, Amy Cassidy and Olga Voitovych contributed to this report.

War in Ukraine Russian invasion of Ukraine Kyiv