As Russian troops continue their war in Ukraine, the country’s defence ministry said Russian troops were on “partial retreat” from the north of Kyiv.
Earlier this week, Russia had said it would be scaling back operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv located in northern Ukraine during peace negotiations in Istanbul, however, reports claim fighting continues in some areas.
Ukraine President Zelensky in a video message said Russian troops were making a “slow but noticeable” withdrawal from northern areas.
“We are moving forward, moving carefully,” Zelensky added however the Ukraine president said the situation in the east remained “extremely difficult” as Russian troops were “preparing for new powerful blows”.
“I emphasise again, hard battles lie ahead. We cannot think we have already passed all the tests,” Ukraine’s president warned.
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s political adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said: “Our troops are chasing them both to the northwest and northeast (of Kyiv), pushing the enemy away from Kyiv.”
Arestovych added that Russia was in fact carrying out troop rotation and sending its forces to eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Kyiv’s mayor Vitaliy Klitschko added that Russian and Ukrainian forces were battling in the northern and eastern sections of the capital.
“The risk of dying is pretty high, and that’s why my advice to anyone who wants to come back is: Please, take a little bit more time,” Klitschko said.
Chernihiv governor Viacheslav Chaus said some Russian troops had withdrawn even as Mariupol continues to experience bombardment.
