The Week
17-mile-long Russian convoy reaches outskirts of Kyiv
Grayson Quay, Weekend editor – February 28, 2022
A 17-mile-long convoy comprising hundreds of Russian military vehicles reached the outskirts of Kyiv on Monday, CNN reported.
Per CNN, the convoy was originally identified on Sunday in satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies. At the time, it was approximately 40 miles from Kyiv. By around 11:00 a.m. on Monday, the convoy was positioned near Antonov air base, about 17 miles from the city center of Kyiv.
Russian forces captured the air base on Friday after heavy fighting, BBC reported.
A source described as a “western official” told CNN on Monday that Russia is “well behind the schedule it set” for the invasion. Kyiv has already outlasted the worst-case scenario U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley outlined before the invasion when he said the Ukrainian capital could fall within 72 hours.
According to Ukrainian military sources, Russian reconnaissance forces made several attempts to push into Kyiv on Friday night but were repelled after vicious street fighting. Russian troops have also fired missiles into the Ukrainian capital.
The main body of Russian troops pushing south from Belarus has not yet attacked the city, but the large number of tanks, artillery pieces, and other vehicles in the convoy could signal that a major assault is imminent.