Russian bases ‘REVEALED’ by Google Maps satellites, Ukraine claims – but tech giant says they’ve ‘always been visible’

By Jemma Carr

RUSSIA’S military airbases have been unveiled in uncensored Google Maps images, Ukraine has claimed – although the tech giant insists the sites have always been visible.

The country’s military shared high-quality images alleging to show Russian command posts near Murmansk, Kamchatka and Kursk.

The Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov – a Russian aircraft carrier – was pictured on Google Maps
Google

The high-res pics are said to show Russian command posts near Murmansk, Kamchatka and Kursk[/caption]

The damning images show docked Russian warships, including the nuclear-powered missile cruiser called ‘Peter the Great’
Google

In the Twitter post, the force claimed the images – which show “Russian launchers, intercontinental ballistic missile mines, command posts and secret landfills” – were newly uncensored by Google.

But the tech firm has insisted the shots were always available.

A Google spokesperson said: “We haven’t made any blurring changes to our satellite imagery in Russia.”

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Russian media later claimed images display “the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, a nuclear weapons store near Murmansk, submarines in the Far East peninsula of Kamchatka, and a military airbase in the Western city of Kursk”.

The images of Russia’s bases came as Putin’s forces hit more than 300 Ukrainian military targets overnight in the first major missile strike in weeks.

Vladimir Putin‘s forces claimed to have hit fuel depots, warehouses and other vital infrastructure in eastern Ukraine, killing six people.


The Kremlin was seeking revenge for the embarrassing sinking of its flagship Moskva by Ukrainian troops over the weekend.

Images have emerged of the warship in flames and sinking in the Black Sea after being hit Ukrainian missiles.

And last night, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said the long-feared “battle for the Donbas” is finally underway.

Explosions were heard along the entire front as Putin launched a major new offensive to seize control of the east.

Ukrainian outlets reported a series of explosions in Kharkiv, Nikolaev and in the suburbs of Donetsk.


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And videos on social media appeared to show a blitz on towns as anti-aircraft fire lit up the night sky.

Zelensky’s comments follow warnings from other senior officials that Russia has begun its assault on the eastern region on Monday.

In a video address he said: “We can now confirm that Russian troops have begun the battle for the Donbas, which they have been preparing for a long time.

“A large part of the Russian army is now dedicated to this offensive.”

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The brave Ukrainian leader refused to be cowed by the latest Russian attack, saying: “No matter how many Russian soldiers are brought here, we will fight. We will defend ourselves.”

Zelensky’s chief of staff said the assault on the Donbas marked the start of the “second phase” of the war.

Google

Ukraine claims the images were newly uncensored by Google, purporting to show Russia’s nuclear sub fleet[/caption]

Google

The Lipetsk Air Base – visible on Google Maps[/caption]

President Zelensky said that the “battle for the Donbas” had begun

Source: Russian bases ‘REVEALED’ by Google Maps satellites, Ukraine claims – but tech giant says they’ve ‘always been visible’

Category: News, World News