The Russian Army began today the withdrawal of part of its troops from the outskirts of Kyiv and the besieged northern city of Chernigov to focus on the conquest of Donbas, the primary objective of the current Russian military campaign in Ukraine.

“The Russian enemy is carrying out the withdrawal of individual units from the territories of the kyiv and Chernigov regions,” reported the General Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its last midday military report.

the withdrawal occurred hours before the Russian negotiators in Istanbul announced the decision to “reduce military activity” in both regions in order to contribute to the signing of a peace agreement with Kyiv.

Kyiv, Russian troops loosen the siege

Russian negotiators spoke for the first time of Moscow’s willingness to take steps towards de-escalation. One military, the withdrawal in the north, and another political, the transfer of the Ukrainian proposals to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.

The Kyiv Regional State Administration, a territory badly hit by the fighting for several weeks, also admitted the regrouping of the Russian forces and their transfer to Belarus.

“Precisely from the territory of Belarus is where the Russian invaders came to the Kyiv region on the first day of the war,” he said in his Telegram account.

However, the Ukrainian soldiers do not lower their guard, as they warn of the “high risk” that the Russians will attack civil and military infrastructure in their retreat.

“The Ukrainian military is ready for any scenario and, of course, we contemplate any defense options,” the military administration stresses.

Chernigov, the second Mariupol

Moscow also announced that it will loosen the siege of Chernigov, compared to Mariúpol (Sea of Azov) due to the cruelty of the enemy bombing.

It is without electricity, heat and water, and gas is only partially supplied.

The City Council reported this Tuesday in the city 350 people have died since February 24, to which must be added the dozens who are admitted daily to the hospital.

Chernigov is in a difficult situation. For starters, supply lines are maintained. The blowing up of the bridges does not mean the destruction of everything. The city resists”, admitted Oleksiy Arestóvych, presidential adviser.

He accused the Russian troops of using the same strategy as in Mariupol. “When they can’t win on the battlefield, then they (turn to) terrorism against civilians,” he charged.

At least seven people were killed in an attack from the annexed Crimean peninsula against the Mykolaiv regional administration in the south of the country.

Donbas, fighting intensifies

Coinciding with the negotiations in Istanbul, kyiv stressed that in Donbas, especially in the Donetsk region, the Russians had intensified both heavy weapons fire and assault actions.

“The military potential of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been significantly reduced, which will allow us to focus our attention and our greatest efforts on achieving the main goal, the liberation of Donbas,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reiterated today.

In addition to the fact that “in general, the main missions of the first stage have been fulfilled”, Shoigu highlighted the almost total destruction of both the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense and aviation.

The target of the Russian army is the triangle formed by Kramatorsk, the main Ukrainian military base in Donbas; Avdeyevka, located near the front line in Donetsk, and Severodonetsk, in the Lugansk region.

The Luhansk military administration reported today that Severodonetsk has been left without electricity due to Russian attacks.

Precisely the greatest resistance to the Russian advance is centered in Donetsk, where the Russian forces have made timid progress and only control half of the territory.