War in Ukraine, satellite images reveal Russian defenses. PHOTO

Western coast of Crimea – Conquered by Russia in 2014, Crimea was previously known for its beach resorts. Now, instead of sunbeds and umbrellas, the 25 km long coastline is littered with defense structures installed by Russian troops. The image shows the only open sandy beach on the west coast, with no natural defenses such as cliffs or hills

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First there are the “dragon’s teeth” (in the picture) along the shore – concrete blocks in the form of a pyramid, designed to block the path of tanks and other military vehicles. Behind them is a line of trenches, providing cover from incoming attacks. Several bunkers can also be identified along the trenches

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The Russian fortifications in Ucarina – Analyst Brady Africk for the BBC was able to identify other key fortification sites by pinpointing individual trench locations from social media videos. Once the exact location was discovered, an entire network of trenches could then be traced using satellite imagery

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Tokmak – The small town of Tokmak is located on a key route in the southeast of the country that Ukrainian forces may want to use to isolate Crimea from other Russian-controlled territories. The satellite image shows that a network of two-line trenches has been dug north of Tokmak, the direction from which Ukraine is expected to attack. Behind these trenches is a further ring of fortifications around the city, with three layers of defenses which can be seen distinctly in this close-up satellite image

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The top of the satellite image shows an anti-tank ditch. These are usually at least 2.5m deep and designed to trap any enemy tank attempting to cross. Behind the moat are several rows of dragon’s teeth and another network of trenches

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It is very likely that mines were also hidden between Tokmak’s three lines of defense, says Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Minefields are a standard part of any defense and the Russians have used them extensively throughout the war. Here they will be better hidden, slowing down Ukrainian attacks so that other combat elements, such as artillery and infantry, can hit the forces forwards” Cancian said

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The E105 road– This is a strategically important artery, connecting the Russian-controlled Melitopol in the south with the northern Ukrainian-controlled city of Kharkiv. On the same street is Zaporizhzhia, which could be the target of a Ukrainian counter-offensive. The side controlling E105 can easily move troops into the region. If Ukrainian forces attempt to use this road, Russia will likely target it with heavy artillery from behind their defenses

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The circular trenches – They allow soldiers to take cover and move artillery so that it can aim in any direction. It shows Russia preparing to defend areas of open ground (with no natural protection from hills and rivers) alongside their wider network of trenches. But some analysts note that Ukrainian forces can use similar satellite imagery and drone surveillance to identify and bypass many of these defenses.

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Rivnopil – The port of Mariupol has a strategic position between the Russian-occupied territories to the east and the Crimea to the south. It was also a symbol of resistance to invasion when a hard core of fighters held out for months as the city was besieged. Located near the small village of Rivnopil, about 55 km north of Mariupol, each circular trench has an earthen mound in the middle, perhaps to protect the artillery or to keep the guns stable

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