Russia prepares for final assault on Kyiv – but Ukrainians ready to fight

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Russian forces are edging towards Kyiv amid signs the preparations for the final assault on the capital is under way.

The bulk of Kremlin troops are now within 15 miles of the city after more than two weeks of sluggish progress. 

Ukraine is preparing to defend the city after confounding Western expectations by denying Vladimir Putin a swift victory.

It has been clear from the outset of the invasion that a full-scale assault on Kyiv is central to Russia’s plans, despite the Kremlin’s repeated insistence it is only trying to support breakaway republic in the east of the country.

The UK’s Ministry of Defence said fighting north west of Kyiv has continued with the bulk of Russian ground forces now around 15 miles from the centre of the city.

A daily intelligence update said elements of the large Russian military column north of Kyiv have dispersed. 

It said this is likely to support a Russian attempt to encircle the capital, and could also be an attempt by Russia to reduce its vulnerability to Ukrainian counter attacks.


There have been reports of artillery attacks in the northwestern outskirts of the city, the scene of fierce fighting throughout the war.

To the south of the city, two columns of smoke – one black and one white – rose in the town of Vaslkyiv after a strike on an ammunition depot. 

New commercial satellite images appeared to capture artillery firing on residential areas that stood between the Russians and the capital. 

The images from Maxar Technologies showed muzzle flashes and smoke from big guns, as well as impact craters and burning homes in the town of Moschun, 20 miles from Kyiv, the company said.

That tallies with the assessment from the Institute of the Study of War, who said: ‘Russian ground forces attempting to encircle and take Kyiv began another pause to resupply and refit combat units on March 11 after failed attacks March 8-10. ‘

Former deputy secretary general of Nato Rose Gottemoeller told the BBC she is ‘sceptical’ Russian forces will ‘gain much success’ by taking on Kyiv head on.

Speaking on the Today programme, she said: ‘I’m wondering if they have the ability to regroup at this point, because their logistics are in such bad shape, they don’t really have the fuel supplies they need for a push on to Kyiv.’

A long convoy of vehicles sent to encircle the city has been in disarray for several days, beset by logistical problems and vulnerable to Ukrainian ambushes and drone strikes.

Three Russian generals are among the much higher than expected losses inflicted on the invading army and Mr Putin is reportedly furious at the state of his campaign.

As many as eight generals have reportedly been dismissed in just over a fortnight as the Kremlin looks to wrestle back control of its ailing campaign.

This week, Mr Putin accepted publicly for the first time that conscripts – many of them teenagers – were sent to fight in Ukraine, claiming to have known nothing about it.

With the massive invasion force spread thin in Ukraine, he has appealed to Syrian fighters blooded in urban combat from its own civil war to travel to the continent to fight.

Russia-Ukraine war: Everything you need to know

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, the country has suffered widespread damages and loss of life amid a major bombing campaign.

Over two million Ukrainian refugees have fled, as cities face shortages of food, water, heat, and medicine – with the British public set to be asked to open their homes to Ukrainian refugees.

Countries have retaliated by imposing sanctions on Russia and oligarchs such as Roman Abramovich, while large companies like Disney, Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Coca-Cola have suspended business in the country.

However, despite these economic blows, Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn’t shown any signs of calling off the attack anytime soon, with a convoy moving closer to the capital Kyiv.

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