By Michael Schwirtz and Scott Reinhard
This story has been updated. Visit the latest Ukraine map.
Russian forces now surround Ukraine on three sides, and Western officials fear a military operation could start as soon as this month.
10,000
5,000
Troops
Artillery
Armored vehicles
Tanks
Other military or air installations
1,000
Moscow
Yelnya
POLAND
Around 100,000 Russian troops
have been deployed near the
Ukrainian border.
Klintsy
BELARUS
Pochep
RUSSIA
Pogonovo
Kyiv
Forces deployed north of
Ukraine could stretch
the country’s forces thin and
threaten its capital, Kyiv.
Soloti
Boguchar
KAZAKHSTAN
UKRAINE
Luhansk
Volgograd
MOLDOVA
Donetsk
Approximate line
separating Ukrainian and
Russian-backed forces.
Persianovskiy
Nearly 20,000 troops are near two
breakaway provinces, where Ukraine
has been locked in a grinding
war with Russian-backed
separatists since 2014.
ROMANIA
Rostov-on-Don
SEA OF AZOV
CRIMEA
Korenovsk
Novoozerne
CASPIAN SEA
BULGARIA
BLACK SEA
10,000
5,000
Troops
Artillery
Armored vehicles
Tanks
Other military or air installations
1,000
Moscow
Yelnya
POLAND
Klintsy
Around 100,000 Russian troops
have been deployed near the
Ukrainian border.
BELARUS
Pochep
RUSSIA
Pogonovo
Kyiv
Forces deployed north of
Ukraine could stretch
the country’s forces thin and
threaten its capital, Kyiv.
Soloti
Boguchar
KAZAKHSTAN
UKRAINE
Luhansk
Volgograd
MOLDOVA
Donetsk
Approximate line
separating Ukrainian and
Russian-backed forces.
Persianovskiy
Nearly 20,000 troops are near two
breakaway provinces, where Ukraine
has been locked in a grinding
war with Russian-backed
separatists since 2014.
ROMANIA
Rostov-on-Don
SEA OF AZOV
CRIMEA
Korenovsk
Novoozerne
CASPIAN SEA
BULGARIA
BLACK SEA
10,000
5,000
Artillery
Armored vehicles
Tanks
Other installations
Troops
1,000
Moscow
Yelnya
Around 100,000 Russian troops
have been deployed near the
Ukrainian border.
POLAND
Klintsy
BELARUS
Pochep
RUSSIA
Pogonovo
Kyiv
Forces deployed north of
Ukraine could stretch
the country’s forces thin and
threaten its capital, Kyiv.
Soloti
Boguchar
KAZAKHSTAN
UKRAINE
Approximate line
separating Ukrainian and
Russian-backed forces.
MOLDOVA
Luhansk
Volgograd
Donetsk
Persianovskiy
ROMANIA
Rostov-on-Don
CASPIAN SEA
SEA OF AZOV
CRIMEA
Nearly 20,000 troops are near two
breakaway provinces, where Ukraine
has been locked in a grinding
war with Russian-backed
separatists since 2014.
Korenovsk
Novoozerne
BULGARIA
BLACK SEA
Artillery
Other installations
10,000
5,000
Troops
Armored vehicles
1,000
Tanks
Moscow
Yelnya
BELARUS
Around 100,000 Russian troops
have been deployed near the
Ukrainian border.
Klintsy
RUSSIA
Forces deployed north of
Ukraine could stretch
the country’s forces thin and
threaten its capital, Kyiv.
Kyiv
Luhansk
UKRAINE
Donetsk
CRIMEA
Nearly 20,000 troops are near
two breakaway provinces, where
Ukraine has been locked in a
grinding war with Russian-backed
separatists since 2014.
BLACK SEA
10,000
Artillery
Other installations
5,000
Troops
1,000
Armored vehicles
Tanks
Moscow
Yelnya
Around 100,000 Russian troops
have been deployed near the
Ukrainian border.
Klintsy
Kyiv
UKRAINE
Luhansk
Donetsk
RUSSIA
CRIMEA
BLACK SEA
Source: Rochan Consulting. Yelnya image from Planet Labs; December 29, 2021. Novoozerne image from Maxar; October 18, 2021. The New York Times
A build-up of Russian forces near the border with Ukraine has raised concerns among Western and Ukrainian officials that the Kremlin might be preparing for significant military action, possibly an invasion. This map, compiled by The New York Times, shows troops, tanks and heavy artillery moving into positions that threaten to widen the conflict in Ukraine’s east as well as potentially open a new front on Ukraine’s northern border, closer to the capital, Kyiv.
Russia currently has about 100,000 troops on the Ukraine border, according to Ukrainian and Western officials. U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that the Kremlin has drawn up plans for a military operation involving up to 175,000 troops that could begin in the coming weeks. While it is not clear whether President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has decided to launch an attack, analysts say the country is well on its way toward constructing the architecture needed for a significant military intervention in Ukraine.
On Monday, representatives from the United States and Russia will meet in Geneva for talks aimed at de-escalating the crisis. Mr. Putin has said that Russia wants what he calls security guarantees, which would, among other things, bar the United States and NATO from expanding eastward into regions the Kremlin deems as within its sphere of influence.
This map represents a snapshot of current Russian positions, as well as broad estimates of the number of troops and kinds of equipment deployed within striking distance of Ukraine. It is based on information obtained by Ukrainian and Western officials as well as independent military analysts and satellite imagery.
Much of the build-up so far, according to officials and military analysts, has involved troops and equipment that take time to deploy, including tanks and heavy armor, some of which have traveled by train from bases as far away as Siberia.
Before launching a significant military operation, however, Russia will likely need to deploy reserve soldiers and logistical infrastructure, like field hospitals, that currently appear to be missing from positions near Ukraine, analysts say. These elements along with additional troops could be deployed rapidly should a decision be made to attack.
Much of the attention so far has been directed at the build-up of forces near two breakaway provinces in eastern Ukraine, Donetsk and Luhansk, where since 2014 the Ukrainian military has been at war with Russian-backed separatists. The separatist forces, which include Russian troops and Ukrainian fighters opposed to Kyiv’s rule, amount to about 30,000, according to an assessment by the Ukrainian military.
Eastern Ukraine
10,000
5,000
1,000
UKRAINE
Troops
Artillery
Armored vehicles
Tanks
Other military or air installations
Luhansk
Motorized infantry unit
Approximate line
separating Ukrainian and
Russian-backed forces.
Military analysts say Russian troops
deployed to Ukraine’s east could
be used to seize additional territory
from Ukrainian control, beyond
what has already been taken by
Russian-backed separatists.
32,000 troops
in Eastern Ukraine
Donetsk
Motorized infantry unit
RUSSIA
Persianovskiy
Two tank units
Motorized infantry unit
Rostov-on-Don
Motorized infantry unit
Artillery unit
Southern Military District
Army Corps
SEA OF Azov
10,000
5,000
1,000
UKRAINE
Troops
Artillery
Armored vehicles
Tanks
Other military or air installations
Approximate line
separating Ukrainian and
Russian-backed forces.
Luhansk
Motorized infantry unit
Military analysts say Russian troops
deployed to Ukraine’s east could
be used to seize additional territory
from Ukrainian control, beyond
what has already been taken by
Russian-backed separatists.
32,000 troops
in Eastern Ukraine
Donetsk
Motorized infantry unit
RUSSIA
Persianovskiy
Two tank units
Motorized infantry unit
Rostov-on-Don
Motorized infantry unit
Artillery unit
Southern Military District
Army Corps
SEA OF Azov
10,000
5,000
1,000
Troops
Artillery
Armored vehicles
UKRAINE
Tanks
Other installations
Approximate line
separating Ukrainian and
Russian-backed forces.
Military analysts say Russian
troops deployed to Ukraine’s
east could be used to seize
additional territory from
Ukrainian control, beyond what
has already been taken by
Russian-backed separatists.
Luhansk
32,000 troops
in Eastern Ukraine
Donetsk
Persianovskiy
Rostov-on-Don
RUSSIA
SEA OF Azov
10,000
5,000
1,000
Troops
Artillery
Armored vehicles
Tanks
UKRAINE
Other installations
Approximate line
separating Ukrainian and
Russian-backed forces.
RUSSIA
Luhansk
32,000 troops
in Eastern Ukraine
Donetsk
Persianovskiy
Rostov-on-Don
Source: Rochan Consulting The New York Times
Since the start of 2021, Russia has moved an additional five battalion tactical groups into the border area near Luhansk and Donetsk, including about 5,000 soldiers sent to reinforce the 12,000 or so stationed there permanently, according to Ukrainian authorities. Just as significant, according to officials and military analysts, are the forces massing north of Ukraine in areas such as Klintsy, at the point where the Ukrainian, Russian and Belarusian borders meet. These positions are within easy striking distance of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
Possible threats to Kyiv
Moscow
5,000
Bakovka
Tank unit
1,000
Troops
Artillery
Armored vehicles
Tanks
Other military or air installations
Yelnya
13–14 battalion tactical groups
Artillery unit
Missile unit
Rocket unit
Tank unit
Minsk
RUSSIA
Bryansk region
Tank unit
BELARUS
Pochep
Artillery unit
Klintsy
Two motorized infantry units
Pogonovo
Rocket unit
Motorized infantry unit
Two tank units
Two battalion tactical groups
Marshala Zhukova
Rocket unit
In a worst-case scenario for
Ukraine, Russian forces
could invade from the north
and east and threaten the
capital, Kyiv.
Soloti
Tank unit
Two motorized infantry units
Kyiv
Boguchar
Motorized infantry unit
Artillery unit
UKRAINE
Moscow
5,000
Bakovka
Tank unit
1,000
Yelnya
13–14 battalion tactical groups
Artillery unit
Missile unit
Rocket unit
Tank unit
Troops
Artillery
Armored vehicles
Tanks
Other military or air installations
Minsk
Bryansk region
Tank unit
RUSSIA
BELARUS
Pochep
Artillery unit
Klintsy
Two motorized infantry units
Two battalion tactical groups
Pogonovo
Rocket unit
Motorized infantry unit
Two tank units
Marshala Zhukova
Rocket unit
In a worst-case scenario for
Ukraine, Russian forces
could invade from the north
and east and threaten the
capital, Kyiv.
Soloti
Tank unit
Two motorized infantry units
Kyiv
Boguchar
Motorized infantry unit
Artillery unit
UKRAINE
Artillery
Moscow
5,000
Armored vehicles
1,000
Bakovka
Tanks
Troops
Other installations
Yelnya
RUSSIA
Minsk
Bryansk region
BELARUS
Pochep
Pogonovo
Klintsy
Marshala Zhukova
In a worst-case scenario for
Ukraine, Russian forces
could invade from the north
and east and threaten the
capital, Kyiv.
Soloti
Kyiv
Boguchar
UKRAINE
Artillery
Other installations
5,000
1,000
Armored vehicles
Moscow
Troops
Tanks
Bakovka
Yelnya
RUSSIA
Bryansk region
Pogonovo
Pochep
Klintsy
Marshala Zhukova
Kyiv
Soloti
In a worst-case scenario for
Ukraine, Russian forces
could invade from the north
and east and threaten the
capital, Kyiv.
Boguchar
UKRAINE
Source: Rochan Consulting The New York Times
