Latest satellite pictures show Russian troop deployment near Ukraine

Satellite pictures show new Russian deployment of material support and troops in Krasnyy Oktyabr, a rural area southwest of Belgorod, Russia, less than 20kms to the northwest of the border with Ukraine.

Australia announced sanctions on eight of President Vladimir Putin's top security advisors following Russia's "unwarranted, unprovoked, unacceptable" invasion of Ukraine.

Eight members of Russia's security council will face sanctions, including travel bans, and Australia will move to target military-linked Russian banks.

A tank drives along a street after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of Russian troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine following the recognition of their independence, in the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had cancelled a planned meeting with Russian Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov later this week, as Russia had started an invasion of Ukraine.

"Now that we see the invasion is beginning and Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy, it does not make sense to go forward with that meeting at this time," Blinken said.

Blinken and Lavrov were to hold talks in Geneva on Thursday, after setting up the meeting last week in hopes of heading off Russia's threatened invasion of Ukraine.

A field hospital and troop deployment in western Belgorod, Russia.

The United States, European Union and Britain have targeted Russia's financial sector with their first measures.

Britain on Tuesday slapped sanctions on five Russian banks including Rossiya and Promsvyazbank (PSB). The EU was expected to release its list of institutions hit by asset freezes, and Washington went after two banks and their subsidiaries, PSB and Vnesheconombank (VEB) citing their role in supporting Russia's military.

A satellite image shows an overview of a new deployment at V D Bolshoy Bokov airfield, near Mazyr, Belarus.

Japan will impose sanctions on Russia and individuals linked to eastern Ukrainian regions controlled by pro-Kremlin separatists, the country's prime minister said Wednesday, after Moscow ordered troops into the disputed territory.

The measures follow decisions by the United States, Britain and the European Union to penalise Russian entities in the wake of President Vladimir Putin's decision to send soldiers into Donetsk and Lugansk.

A satellite image shows an overview of a new deployment at V D Bolshoy Bokov airfield, near Mazyr, Belarus.

Russia's recognition of breakaway regions of Ukraine will increase economic uncertainty for Europe.

Much depends on the severity of any armed conflict, "but in most cases the economic impact on countries beyond Russia and Ukraine is likely to be limited," said Neil Shearing, chief economist at Capital Economics.

In the EU, it is Germany which has the strongest economic ties with Russia, but only two per cent of its exports head there.

The economic situation in Ukraine is "extremely fragile", said Shearing, warning it was likely to need additional external financial assistance in the coming months.

Satellite pictures show new Russian deployment of material support and troops in Krasnyy Oktyabr, a rural area southwest of Belgorod, Russia, less than 20kms to the northwest of the border with Ukraine.

Australia announced sanctions on eight of President Vladimir Putin's top security advisors following Russia's "unwarranted, unprovoked, unacceptable" invasion of Ukraine.

Eight members of Russia's security council will face sanctions, including travel bans, and Australia will move to target military-linked Russian banks.

Satellite pictures show Russian troop tents and a housing area in Pochep, western Russia.

US President Joe Biden said the United States would continue to supply "defensive" weapons to Ukraine against a Russian invasion and deploy US troops to reinforce NATO allies in eastern Europe.

After Biden spoke the Pentagon announced details of the move.

It said it would reposition 800 troops in an infantry battalion task force from Italy to the Baltic region and up to eight F-35 Strike fighter jets from Germany to "several operating locations along NATO's eastern flank."

 A small airfield, known as the V.D. Bolshoy Bokov aerodrome, near Mazyr, southern Belarus, north of the border with Ukraine.

Satellite pictures show heavy equipment transporters on the western outskirts of Klintsy, Russia, approximately 40 kms to the east of the border with Ukraine. 

Twenty AH-64 attack helicopters were to be moved from Germany to the Baltic area and 12 more would be relocated from Greece to Poland.

The steps would bolster the now more than 90,000 US troops temporarily or permanently deployed in Europe.