War in Ukraine: The Russians retreat from Kyiv

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the move marked a major shift in Vladimir Putin's strategy.

After progress that seems to have been made in the negotiations of Ρωσίας to Ukraine on Turkish soil, a development leaves a "crack" of optimism for the gradual end of the war in Ukraine.

According to two top US officials, cited by the American television network CNN, Russia has already begun withdrawing some of its military forces on the outskirts of Kiev.

The same officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the move marked a major shift in Vladimir Putin's strategy.

The withdrawing forces, according to the same American sources, include the regular battalion groups (BTG), which are leaving the areas around Kiev. Russian forces are withdrawing from northern Ukraine to focus on fighting in the south and east.

The United States has said Russia will cover its withdrawal with airstrikes and artillery fire in the capital, one official said. U.S. officials have warned that Russia could change its tactics again if conditions allow it to do so.

In the US view, this is not a short-term adjustment for reconstruction, but a longer-term move, as Russia faces its failure to advance militarily in northern Ukraine.

"We will drastically reduce our operations in Kyiv"

Earlier, Moscow said it would "drastically reduce military activity" on two fronts - Kyiv and Chernihiv - according to the Russian Defense Ministry's Telegram channel.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin has confirmed that his country "will radically reduce its military activity from time to time," according to the RIA news agency.

The move follows talks between Kiev and Moscow in Istanbul on Tuesday.

"Due to the fact that the negotiations on the preparation of an agreement on neutrality and non-nuclear status of Ukraine, as well as on the provision of security guarantees to Ukraine, are proceeding in practice, taking into account the principles discussed during today's meeting , by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, in order to increase mutual trust and to create the necessary conditions for further negotiations and the achievement of the final goal of the agreement for the signing of the above agreement, the decision was made to radically reduce "Military activity in the direction of Kiev and Chernihiv," Fomin told reporters.

in.gr