Russia-Ukraine tensions: New satellite images reveal extent of Moscow’s military build-up

The pictures show an increase in tents designed to accommodate troops at a number of Russian bases.

Those photos did not show that extra troops were also being sent to camps near or within Ukraine’s border, or that these camps were even being prepared to receive extra soldiers. This includes bases in the Crimea Peninsula, an area illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.

The images released today are the first of their kind to show this.

A spokesperson for Maxar, who made the images available, said: “Over the past couple of months, military equipment/units have been deployed at or near a number of garrisons and to existing military training areas within Russia and Crimea and adjacent to the border with Ukraine.”

He added: “Troop tents and shelters for personnel have been seen at virtually every deployment location in Belarus, Crimea and western Russia, which suggests that the units are now accompanied by troops and have increased their overall readiness level.”

Images show recent deployments at camps in Crimea, Western Russia and Belarus.