Satellite images show Russia has moved some of its military equipment deployed near Ukraine, but other hardware has arrived and Moscow still has a large number of forces and equipment near its ex-Soviet neighbour, according to a private US company on Thursday.
Russia announced a partial withdrawal of its forces near Ukraine on Tuesday, fueling fears of an impending invasion, but Western countries warned on Wednesday that Russia’s military presence was increasing, not decreasing.
Moscow denies any intention of invading.
Reuters was unable to independently verify the images released by US-based Maxar Technologies, which has been tracking the build-up of Russian forces for weeks. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the images depicted locations in Belarus, western Russia, and annexed Crimea.
Maxar pointed to a new military pontoon bridge over the Pripyat river, less than six kilometres from the Ukrainian border, and a large new field hospital at one training site in Belarus, where Russia is holding massive exercises.
A new unit of nearly 20 attack helicopters had been deployed at a Belarus airfield, but significant troop and ground forces units recently deployed there had departed and were unaccounted for, according to Maxar.
Troops and armoured vehicles were still deployed and training at other locations. The majority of the equipment and troop housing area that had been present near Rechitsa in southeast Belarus had departed and gone missing, it said, adding that a military convoy was seen heading west.
