Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine
Russian troops are about 15 kilometres from Kyiv's city centre but are moving their support elements closer, the Pentagon assessed on Friday.
A senior US defence official briefing reporters said Russian troops stationed north-west of Ukraine’s capital “have not moved any closer” and are the same distance as they were yesterday.
But the official noted that the Russian military's support elements are edging closer to Kyiv.
Asked about Russia's 64-kilometre-long convoy outside the city, the Pentagon said it now believes it is being dispersed and disguised in forested areas to protect it from Ukrainian attacks.
“We do not believe the convoy has made any progress in linking up with other elements,” the US defence official said.
US satellite company Maxar said on Thursday evening that the convoy is now “largely dispersed and redeployed".
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Smoke rising in Kyiv, which mayor Vitali Klitschko says faces a 'difficult and dangerous moment' as Russian forces step up strikes. AFP -
Pope Francis meets visitors holding the Ukrainian flag during his weekly general audience in the Vatican. AFP -
An anti-war protester demonstrates against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in front of the Nato headquarters in Brussels. AFP -
A poster in Saint Petersburg carries the letter Z, a symbol of support for the invasion, and reads: "We are proud of Russia! We are not ashamed!" AFP -
Amid the Ukraine war, there's time for a seaside stroll in Odesa. Reuters -
A child who fled from Ukraine to Belgium waits outside an immigration office in Brussels. EPA -
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy receives a standing ovation as he appears via videoconference to make an address to Canada's Parliament. AP -
A woman walks with a bicycle next to a building damaged during the conflict in the separatist-controlled town of Volnovakha, Donetsk region. Reuters -
A firefighter outside a destroyed apartment building in a residential area of Kyiv. AP -
Ukrainian soldiers pay tribute to Col Valeriy Gudz, who was killed in battle against Russian troops, at a cemetery in the town of Boryspil. AP -
Firefighters work to extinguish a fire in a housing block hit by shelling in the Sviatoshynsky district, in western Kyiv. AFP -
Two people were killed as a series of powerful explosions rocked residential districts in Kyiv just hours before talks between Ukraine and Russia were set to resume. AFP -
The Met Opera and Chorus performs during 'A Concert For Ukraine' in New York City. AFP -
A worker welds metal at the Interpipe Steel plant in Dnipro, Ukraine. Hundreds of Interpipe’s 10,000 employees have joined the fight against Russia. AP -
A woman is rescued by firefighters from her apartment in a burning building that was hit by artillery shells in Kyiv. AP -
Rescuers work at a building damaged by an air strike, in central Kharkiv, Ukraine. Reuters -
A woman who fled Ukraine to Belgium waits outside an immigration office, in Brussels. EPA -
Cars stuck at the Irpin River bridge, as Russia unleashes a barrage of air strikes on cities across Ukraine. AFP -
A firefighter looks at a section of a Ukrainian Tochka-U missile on a street in the separatist Donetsk region. The Russian military said 20 civilians were killed by a ballistic missile launched by the Ukrainian forces. AP -
Musician Davide Martello plays a piano near the Ukrainian border in Medyka, Poland. More than 1.76 million people have crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border into Poland, the Polish Border Guard reported on March 14. EPA -
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, snaps a selfie with a wounded man during a visit at a military hospital after fighting in the Kyiv region.AFP -
Ukrainian soldiers carry rocket-propelled grenades and sniper rifles as they walk towards the city of Irpin, north-west of Kyiv. AFP -
Troops carry an elderly woman on a stretcher across a makeshift bridge as Ukrainians flee Irpin. AFP -
Irina Moprezova, 54, stands in front of a house that was damaged by an air strike in Irpin. AFP -
The flags of Russia and Ukraine are projected on the walls of Jerusalem's Old City, which a representative from the Jerusalem Municipality said is a show of support for diplomatic dialogue between the countries. Reuters -
A person holds a Ukrainian flag during an anti-war demonstration at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany. Reuters -
A Ukrainian soldier takes cover as people flee Irpin. AFP -
Ukrainians shelter in an underground train station during the day in Kyiv. EPA -
A Ukrainian serviceman walks carefully with his weapon in the city of Irpin, near Kyiv. AFP -
Ukrainian people flee the city of Irpin, north-west of Kyiv. AFP -
Ukrainian servicemen carry an elderly woman on a stretcher from the city of Irpin. AFP -
A girl plays games on her tablet inside a subway carriage being used as a bomb shelter in Kyiv. AFP -
A Ukrainian firefighter drags a hose inside a large food products storage facility which was destroyed by an air strike on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP -
Ukrainian troops with a Javelin anti-tank missile on the front line in the northern Kyiv region. Reuters -
A woman carries her dog during an evacuation in Irpin. Reuters -
A Ukrainian woman takes shelter in a metro station during the day in Kyiv. EPA -
A member of the Ukrainian armed forces on patrol in Irpin. Reuters -
A Ukrainian fighter takes cover behind a car in the city of Irpin. AFP -
Firefighters at work after air strikes hit residential buildings in Chernihiv, northern Ukraine. AFP -
A man wounded in an air strike is helped by medical staff in Novoiavorivsk, western Ukraine. Getty -
The ruins of the Ukraine Hotel after recent shelling in Chernihiv. EPA
Elsewhere in Ukraine, the US defence official said Russia has not taken the city of Kharkiv but is “closing in” after weeks of heavy bombardment.
“We're seeing more reports of internet outages there,” the US official said.
The internet monitor Netblocks reported that the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology has gone offline after a Russian attack on Thursday night.
But the Pentagon assessed that Russia is still facing stiff resistance from Ukraine in the city as well as in Mariupol where Moscow has conducted more air strikes.
The official estimated “that the Russians, writ large, are flying on average 200 sorties per day” across Ukraine.
In contrast, the official said Ukraine has about 56 fighter jets remaining and are flying five to 10 sorties a day, while relying on other weapons such as anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.
Washington has rebuffed Poland’s proposal to send Ukraine Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets in return for supplying Warsaw with more advanced F-16 planes from the US.
On Thursday, the Pentagon also rejected sending Patriot missile systems to Ukraine, as it would require the deployment of US troops on the ground to operate them.
“It's not a system that the Ukrainians are familiar with. And as we have made very clear, there will be no US troops fighting in Ukraine,” the official said.
Asked about Russia’s announcement on Friday that it is sending 16,000 volunteer troops from the Middle East to fortify its forces in Ukraine, the Pentagon said it has no indications that such effort has materialised.
“We haven't seen any indications their recruiting efforts have borne fruit,” the official said.
