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Satellite images recently captured by Maxar Technologies show that Russia is continuing to deploy troops and military equipment, likely including field hospitals, near Ukraine's borders in Crimea, Belarus and western Russia.

The big picture: U.S. officials warned Friday that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could begin at "at any time."

State of play: Although Russia denied plans to invade, it has  amassed over 100,000 troops and several military vehicles, including tanks, troop transports and fighter jets, near Ukraine's northern, southern and eastern borders.

Six Russian warships, including some that could be used in amphibious landing operations against Ukraine, entered the Black Sea from the Mediterranean for naval drills this week, Reuters reports.

Russia and Belarus launched their largest joint military exercises ever on Thursday, involving up to 30,000 troops and sophisticated missile systems, and  U.S. officials believe that Russia may use the exercises inside Belarus as cover to attack Ukraine from the north, Axios' Zach Basu reports.

What they're saying: Maxar Technologies said it has observed a large new deployment of troops and equipment at an abandoned airfield north of Simferopol, Crimea, that included more than 550 troop tents and hundreds of vehicles.

In Belarus, it said, it has seen a large new buildup of troops and military vehicles near Gomel, less than 15 miles from the border with Ukraine, while more troops and vehicles remain deployed near the city of Rechitsa.

It has also seen Russian troops and equipment recently arriving at a training area east of Kursk, Russia, which is about 68 miles from Ukraine's eastern border.

Two analysts, Foreign Policy Research Institute's Rob Lee and CNA's Michael Kofman, also spotted what appeared to be field hospitals in the images. 

A satellite image of a troop housing area and field hospital at an airfield near Gomel, Belarus.

A satellite image of troop tents and other military equipment in central Crimea captured on Feb. 10.

An image of a troop housing area and military vehicles parked near Rechytsa, Belarus, captured by satellite on Feb. 10.

Troops housing and military vehicles situated near Kursk, Russia, as captured by satellite on Feb. 10.

New armored vehicle deployments near Slavne, Crimea, as captured by satellite on Feb. 10.

Go deeper: Foreign policy "Blob" backs Biden on Ukraine

Satellite images show increased Russian military buildup near Ukraine

Russia has denied it intends to invade but has continued deploying troops and equipment near Ukraine.

A satellite image of new troops and military equipment, including tents, deployed near an airfield in Crimea captured on Feb. 10.

Russia

World

Axios Space

The National Reconnaissance Office announced last week it has awarded three commercial satellite companies — Maxar, BlackSky and Planet — contracts worth billions of dollars. 

Why it matters: Space operations are becoming increasingly more commercialized, and these intelligence agency contracts — which represent the NRO's largest commercial space purchase ever — mark a major moment in that trend. 

The NRO, which operates spy satellites that take incredibly detailed images of Earth, said it will use the data it receives from the companies to support its "half-million intelligence, defense, and federal civil agency users over the next decade."

By the numbers: Maxar disclosed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing last week that its 10-year NRO contract could be worth up to $3.24 billion.

BlackSky said in a filing that its contract is valued at a bit over $1 billion over 10 years.

Planet did not reveal the potential amount of its contract, and it will report its first-quarter earnings on June 14.

This moment "demonstrates the commitment and the confidence that the U.S. government has in commercial companies, like BlackSky," Brian O'Toole, CEO of BlackSky, told Axios.

The intrigue: By integrating both commercial data and NRO satellite-collected data, officials expect to get a more holistic view of what's happening on Earth at any given time.

"As you can see from the range of satellites operated by the three companies that won the award, they're getting potentially different kinds of data from those companies," the Secure World Foundation's Krystal Azelton told Axios.

Be smart: This isn't a sudden shift for the NRO.

The agency has been moving toward this more integrated approach for years, and it gives these companies guaranteed revenue for years to come.

"The government is very much, I would assume, a core anchor, stability-providing partner for these companies," Azelton said. "It really not only fulfills a business model, but it ensures that they can continue to exist, as the ups and downs of the rest of the commercial market occur."

U.S. spy agency's space company contracts are a sign of big things to come

The NRO recently awarded satellite companies Maxar, BlackSky and Planet with billions in  contracts.

Space

The National Reconnaissance Office announced last week it has awarded three commercial satellite companies — Maxar, BlackSky and Planet — contracts worth billions of dollars. Why it matters: Space operations are becoming increasingly more commercialized, and these intelligence agency contracts — which represent the NRO&#x27;s largest commercial space purchase ever — mark a major moment in that trend.

A look at the scientific breakthroughs changing the world, explorations in space and in worlds beyond our own and the threats posed to us by our own planet, both out of our control and of our own making.

Science

Two probable Russian military resupply and maintenance bases have been established in southern Ukraine and Crimea, Maxar satellite images show, and probably are being used to help reinforce and resupply operations in and near Mariupol.

Why it matters: Russian ground forces continue moving into eastern Ukraine, where the stage is being set for a massive offensive in the Donbas region, Maxar says in a note to reporters.

These deployments include dozens of armored vehicles, troops with tents and support equipment, positioned in fields and farms near Russian towns about five miles east of the Ukraine border.

Several convoys rumbling through eastern Ukraine together contain more than 200 vehicles.

There are signs of ongoing artillery shelling in and around Mariupol. Smoke and fire were seen coming from a number of buildings as well as from an iron and steel factory — where some of the last Ukrainian forces in the city are believed to be bunkered down.

The big picture: Other images captured by Maxar recently showed a Russian convoy moving south through the eastern town of Velykyi Burluk toward the Donbas region.

The convey was at least eight miles long and consisted of hundreds of armored vehicles and trucks carrying artillery and support equipment.

The United Nations Human Rights Council, from which Russia was suspended last week, estimates that at least 1,892 civilians have been killed and 2,558 injured so far during Russia's invasion.

It stressed that its estimates were likely to be considerably lower than the actual figures, because ongoing fighting has delayed its documentation efforts.

Satellite images showing Russian military  equipment in Dzhankoi, Crimea, captured on April 12.

An image showing a Russian maintenance area for armored vehicles and equipment near an airfield in Kherson, Ukraine, captured on April 12.

An image showing buildings on fire Ukraine, captured on April 12.

An image showing a Russian convoy near Bilokurakyne, Ukraine, captured on April 12.

Go deeper: Russian atrocities fuel new breakthroughs in Ukraine military aid

Satellite images show more Russian military deployments in eastern Ukraine

The stage is being set for a massive offensive in the Donbas region.

An image showing an assortment of Russian armored vehicles near near the town of Dzhankoi in Crimea captured on April 12.

Ukraine

Two probable Russian military resupply and maintenance bases have been established in southern Ukraine and Crimea, Maxar satellite images show, and probably are being used to help reinforce and resupply operations in and near Mariupol.Why it matters: Russian ground forces continue moving into eastern Ukraine, where the stage is being set for a massive offensive in the Donbas region, Maxar says in a note to reporters.

Denver

Axios Denver

Two prominent Denver area companies are playing prominent roles in assisting Ukraine and U.S. interests in the battle against Russian forces.

What's happening: Palantir Technologies' CEO Alex Karp met with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine last week, the company said. 

The leaders strategized ways the Denver company's data mining and intelligence technology could help repel Russia.

In May, Karp told shareholders that the "war in Europe has now conspired to shatter our collective illusions of stability and perpetual peace."

He's the first CEO to visit Ukraine since the conflict began, Bloomberg reports.

What else: Westminster-based Maxar Technologies is using its commercial satellites in orbit to inform the public about the destruction caused by Russian bombing campaigns.

Top media outlets, including CNN, Wall Street Journal and Axios, have published the photos and used them to tally fatalities. Since Jan. 1, the company has been cited by the media more than 54,000 times.

What they're saying: The use of the commercial satellites to document the war is unprecedented, the Denver Business Journal reports.

"I wish we could tell a different story," Maxar CEO Dan Jablonksy said. "But this is the story that needs to be told."

Denver tech companies play key roles in Ukraine battle against Russia

Palantir Technologies' CEO Alex Karp met with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine last week, the company said.

Alex Karp, co-founder and CEO of the data-mining software giant Palantir Technologies, visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

Alex Karp, co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies, visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. Photo courtesy of Ukraine government

Two prominent Denver area companies are playing prominent roles in assisting <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Ukraine" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/03/100-days-war-ukraine-russia-winning-donbas" data-vars-content-id="c8dc19bd-c3fa-4455-8340-814ba9229341" data-vars-headline="Denver tech companies play key roles in Ukraine battle against Russia" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/03/100-days-war-ukraine-russia-winning-donbas" target="_self">Ukraine</a> and U.S. interests in the battle against Russian forces.What&#x27;s happening: Palantir Technologies&#x27; CEO Alex Karp met with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="President Volodymyr Zelensky" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/20/livestream-interview-zelensky-jonathan-swan" data-vars-content-id="c8dc19bd-c3fa-4455-8340-814ba9229341" data-vars-headline="Denver tech companies play key roles in Ukraine battle against Russia" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/20/livestream-interview-zelensky-jonathan-swan" target="_self">President Volodymyr Zelensky</a> in Ukraine last week, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the company said" data-vars-click-url="https://twitter.com/PalantirTech/status/1532374493737385992" data-vars-content-id="c8dc19bd-c3fa-4455-8340-814ba9229341" data-vars-headline="Denver tech companies play key roles in Ukraine battle against Russia" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://twitter.com/PalantirTech/status/1532374493737385992" target="_blank">the company said</a>.

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Business

Axios Denver, anchored by John Frank and Alayna Alvarez, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.

Newly released satellite images show a Russian military convoy moving south through the eastern town of Velykyi Burluk toward the Donbas region, according to Maxar Technologies.

Driving the news: In the photos taken on Friday, the convoy stretches at least eight miles long and consists of hundreds of armored vehicles and trucks carrying artillery and support equipment, per an emailed statement from Maxar Technologies.

The convoy is headed toward the city of Izium in eastern Ukraine, which Russian forces captured last week and are using as a staging ground for an attack on Sloviansk, a city that's strategically critical in Russia's effort to capture the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, the New York Times reported.

The fight to take Donbas is becoming a central focus for Russian forces following their failure to capture Kyiv, a U.S. Defense official said in a press release Friday.

Convoy of armored vehicles and trucks. Satellite image: Maxar Technologies

Southern end of the armored convoy. Satellite image: Maxar Technologies

Satellite images: Russian military convoy heads south toward Donbas region

The convoy stretches at least eight miles long and consists of hundreds of armored vehicles and trucks.

The northern end of the convoy. Satellite image: Maxar Technologies

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Newly released satellite images show a Russian military convoy moving south through the eastern town of Velykyi Burluk toward the Donbas region, according to Maxar Technologies.Driving the news: In the photos taken on Friday, the convoy stretches at least eight miles long and consists of hundreds of armored vehicles and trucks carrying artillery and support equipment, per an emailed statement from Maxar Technologies.

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Satellite images show increased Russian military buildup near Ukraine

U.S. spy agency's space company contracts are a sign of big things to come

Satellite images show more Russian military deployments in eastern Ukraine

Denver tech companies play key roles in Ukraine battle against Russia

Satellite images: Russian military convoy heads south toward Donbas region