Russia has announced a radical reduction of its military activity in the vicinity of Kyiv and Chernihiv, stressing that the pledge to reduce escalation is not a ceasefire, amid the Pentagon’s questioning of Moscow’s decision.
The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) said that the Russians were neither ready nor able to control Kyiv, adding, “We have not seen any confirmation that units of the Russian army have begun to withdraw from the fighting fronts around Kyiv.”
US President Joe Biden stressed that his administration will monitor Russia’s compliance and will continue to impose sanctions on it.
For its part, Turkey confirmed that the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul had achieved some rapprochement, and the two negotiating delegations revealed their conditions.
In the field, Oleksandr Markushin, the mayor of the city of Irbin, said that the Ukrainian army had regained control of the city northwest of the capital, but he expected renewed attacks by the Russian army on it.
Forces loyal to the Ukrainian army, calling themselves the Crimean Islamic Brigade, stated that they had regained control of the village of Motygin, west of Kyiv.
Here are the latest developments on the 35th day of this war:
one hour ago
The Pentagon: Russia is “repositioning” its forces near Kyiv and has not withdrawn
The Pentagon announced that Russia has repositioned a “small number” of its forces near Kyiv, but has not withdrawn and may be preparing for a “major offensive” elsewhere in Ukraine.
“We’re seeing a small number of (Russian soldiers) who now appear to be moving away from Kyiv, the same day the Russians said they were withdrawing,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
Kirby was speaking just hours after Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin announced that Russia would reduce its military operations towards Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv, following progress in peace talks in Istanbul.
“What I can tell you is that the vast majority of the forces massed against Kyiv that we saw are still in place,” Kirby commented. “We’ve only seen a small number begin to move away from Kyiv.”
“Russia has failed in its goal of capturing Kyiv,” Kirby said, “but this does not mean that the threat surrounding Kiev is over.”
two hours ago
British Defense: Russia is expected to shift combat power from the north to the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of eastern Ukraine.
two hours ago
Ukrainian President Zelensky:
There is no talk of lifting the sanctions imposed on Russia before the end of the war.
Positive signs in the Ukrainian-Russian negotiations held in Turkey.
Russia has announced a radical reduction of its military activity in the vicinity of Kyiv and Chernihiv, stressing that the pledge to reduce escalation is not a ceasefire, amid the Pentagon’s questioning of Moscow’s decision.
The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) said that the Russians were neither ready nor able to control Kyiv, adding, “We have not seen any confirmation that units of the Russian army have begun to withdraw from the fighting fronts around Kyiv.”
US President Joe Biden stressed that his administration will monitor Russia’s compliance and will continue to impose sanctions on it.
For its part, Turkey confirmed that the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul had achieved some rapprochement, and the two negotiating delegations revealed their conditions.
In the field, Oleksandr Markushin, the mayor of the city of Irbin, said that the Ukrainian army had regained control of the city northwest of the capital, but he expected renewed attacks by the Russian army on it.
Forces loyal to the Ukrainian army, calling themselves the Crimean Islamic Brigade, stated that they had regained control of the village of Motygin, west of Kyiv.
Here are the latest developments on the 35th day of this war:
one hour ago
The Pentagon: Russia is “repositioning” its forces near Kyiv and has not withdrawn
The Pentagon announced that Russia has repositioned a “small number” of its forces near Kyiv, but has not withdrawn and may be preparing for a “major offensive” elsewhere in Ukraine.
“We’re seeing a small number of (Russian soldiers) who now appear to be moving away from Kyiv, the same day the Russians said they were withdrawing,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
Kirby was speaking just hours after Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin announced that Russia would reduce its military operations towards Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv, following progress in peace talks in Istanbul.
“What I can tell you is that the vast majority of the forces massed against Kyiv that we saw are still in place,” Kirby commented. “We’ve only seen a small number begin to move away from Kyiv.”
“Russia has failed in its goal of capturing Kyiv,” Kirby said, “but this does not mean that the threat surrounding Kiev is over.”
two hours ago
British Defense: Russia is expected to shift combat power from the north to the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of eastern Ukraine.
two hours ago
Ukrainian President Zelensky:
There is no talk of lifting the sanctions imposed on Russia before the end of the war.
Positive signs in the Ukrainian-Russian negotiations held in Turkey.