The Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, woke up on Friday to the sound of sirens, following reports of three explosions in its neighborhoods. Meanwhile, the Russian military forces that have heavily advanced towards the city earlier in the week remain stationed around it, aiming to ultimately occupy the capital.
In this context, a senior U.S. official at the Pentagon confirmed that Russian forces are still about 25 kilometers from the center of Kyiv, according to American estimates, as reported by Reuters. The official noted that these forces aim to besiege, encircle, and ultimately occupy the capital. However, they also pointed out that the Russian forces have experienced confusion in recent days after facing fierce resistance from Ukrainian troops, adding that their advance has slowed due to the intense fighting from the Ukrainians.
Regarding the convoy, the senior official told reporters, "We still believe that the convoy everyone is focused on is stalled. We have no reason to doubt the Ukrainian authorities' previous announcement that they targeted and disrupted the convoy." U.S. intelligence indicated last night that the convoy remains stationary with no advancement, supporting claims from both the Ukrainian government and the British Ministry of Defense, which confirmed that the convoy is still over 30 kilometers from the heart of the city, considering its progress to be slow.
It is noteworthy that images of the Russian deployment were captured by satellites on February 28, amid ongoing military clashes between the two sides. Despite all the international warnings and severe sanctions imposed on Moscow in recent days, Russian President Vladimir Putin remains committed to achieving his objectives, which he described in a speech yesterday as disarming the neighboring country that he considers a threat to his own.
