40-mile-long Russian convoy seen in satellite photos near Kyiv

The vast convoy of armoured vehicles, tanks, artillery and support vehicles was 17 miles from the centre of Kyiv and stretched for about 40 miles

Satellite photos on Tuesday showed a convoy of Russian forces north of Ukraine's capital stretching for 40 miles (64 kms).

The vast convoy of armoured vehicles, tanks, artillery and support vehicles was 17 miles (25 kilometres) from the centre of Kyiv and stretched for about 40 miles, according to satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies.

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The Maxar photos also showed deployments of ground forces and ground attack helicopter units in southern Belarus.

Russia shelled the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv as it pressed on with its invasion Tuesday, defying mounting global pressure that saw a war crimes probe opened against Moscow, sanctions smash its economy and FIFA banned it from the World Cup.

After their first talks since the war started failed to secure a breakthrough Monday, Russia continued to target residential areas and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a global ban on Russian planes and ships. "We must close entry for this state in all ports, all canals and all the world's airports," he said on Facebook.

(With inputs from AFP)

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