Kremlin Says It Will Scale Back Military Operations Near Kyiv And Chernihiv

Daily Mail: Russia begins withdrawing forces and reducing bombardments around Kyiv after vowing to 'radically reduce' military activity during 'meaningful' peace talks with Ukraine attended by Roman Abramovich

* US and UK intelligence have identified battalion movements and a reduction in bombardment in Kyiv

* Deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin said the move will 'increase mutual trust' in the negotiations

* Ukraine's neutral status was discussed and both camps said =talks could happen between Putin and Zelensky

* Roman Abramovich sat in on the meeting as an unofficial mediator a day after his poisoning was revealed

Russia is already starting to withdraw some of its forces from the Kyiv region after announcing it would 'radically reduce' military activity at peace talks in Turkey today.

US and UK intelligence has identified movements in Kremlin Battalion Tactical Groups around the capital after deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin said their troops would start to scale back operations in Kyiv and Chernihiv.

Downing Street said: 'There has been some reduction in Russian bombardment around Kyiv, largely because Ukrainian forces have been successfully pushing back the Russian offensives in the northwest of the city.

Read more ....

WNU editor: Good point .... U.S. official warns any Russian troop movement 'not a withdrawal' (Reuters). More skepticism here .... Ukraine war: Russia to

'fundamentally cut back' military activity near Kyiv and Chernihiv - but West says they're just playing for time (SKY News). More here .... US wary of Russia pullback announcement, warns against annexing eastern Ukraine (FOX News).

Update: I agree with this analysis .... Russia shifts focus to try to grind Ukraine’s army in east (The Guardian).

Kremlin Says It Will Scale Back Military Operations Near Kyiv And Chernihiv

Russia says it will scale back near Kyiv as talks progress -- AP

Ukraine war: Russia to curb Kyiv assault as peace talks progress -- BBC

Russia vows to ‘radically reduce’ military activity in northern Ukraine -- The Guardian

Russia says it will reduce military operations around Kyiv following talks with Ukraine -- CNN

Russia Says To 'Dramatically' Decrease Military Activities Around Kyiv, Chernihiv -- RFE

Russia claims it will scale back fighting near Kyiv to help peace talks -- Axios

Russia to ‘drastically’ cut military activity near Ukrainian capital -- RT

Russian top brass decides to decrease military activity in direction of Kiev, Chernigov -- TASS

Russia to 'Drastically' Wind Down Military Presence Near Kyiv, Chernihiv -- Moscow Times

Russia Begins Retreat from Kyiv in ‘Major Strategy Shift’: U.S. General -- US News and World Report