Pentagon spokesman John Kirby says Russia’s military “withdrawal” from Ukraine is a repositioning, Kyiv still under threat.

RELATED: Russian cosmonaut hands over command of ISS, sends message of unity https://youtu.be/EfdnwGqiQWQ

Russia this week announced plans to dial back its military activity in and around Kyiv, but Ukraine authorities say the city continues to be battered by artillery assaults, and the Pentagon said less than 20% of the forces have been removed. Russian military leaders have said forces would focus on “liberating” the breakaway Luhansk and Donetsk territories in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.

“Russia’s stated focus on an offensive in Donetsk and Luhansk is likely a tacit admission that it is struggling to sustain more than one significant axis of advance,” the British assessment says.

» Subscribe to USA TODAY: http://bit.ly/1xa3XAh
» Watch more on this and other topics from USA TODAY: https://bit.ly/3IClY6s
» USA TODAY delivers current local and national news, sports, entertainment, finance, technology, and more through award-winning journalism, photos, videos and VR.

#Ukraine #Russia #RussianMilitary