The Kiev isn't touched much yet because they haven't started the full scale assault from all directions yet. They can't do that with Chernigov and Harkiv behind their backs left not taken. This is why Chernigov and Harkiv are being pounded right now. If/when they fall all that will move onto Kiev.
>Images of it ruined by Russian bombardment would be impossible to square with Russia's propaganda position.
You underestimate Russian propaganda and people brainwashed state there. Probably you're lucky to not speak Russian and thus not being familiar with their propaganda, for example with that big hit inside Russia (obviously not much success outside) of how Zelensky was using right hand to make a nuke to attack Russia while using left hand he was making chemical weapons also to attack Russia :) In case of Kiev unfortunately they would just declare that all those destroyed buildings were used as fighting positions, or may be even directly destroyed, by those Ukrainian "nazi and banderovtsy".
