A new military pontoon bridge has been established over the Pripyat River in Belarus, less than four miles from the Ukraine border, Maxar Technologies found, as satellite images this week continue to show heightened military activity in Belarus, Crimea and western Russia.
Why it matters: The Biden administration told reporters last evening that it now believes Russia's claims of withdrawing troops from near Ukraine are "false," Axios' Zachary Basu reports.
- Moscow has in fact increased its presence on the border "by as many as 7,000 troops" in recent days, a senior administration official said.
In photos:
A Feb. 16 satellite image of a field hospital built in Belarus. Source: Maxar Technologies
A Feb. 16 image of Russian tents and artillery pieces stationed in Crimea. Source: Maxar Technologies
A Feb. 16 satellite image of troops and military equipment positioned near Kursk, Russia. Source: Maxar Technologies
A Feb. 16 satellite image image of troops and military equipment in Crimea. Source: Maxar Technologies
Go deeper: U.S. says Russia's claims of troop withdrawal were "false"
