Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.
A senior US defence official on Wednesday (April 6) claimed that Russian forces completely withdraw from Ukrainian areas around capital city Kyiv and northern city of Chernihiv in order to regroup in Belarus and Russia. Recent reports have stated that Russian forces are now shifting their focus to eastern Ukraine.
As quoted by media outlet The Hill, the official said, “We aren’t showing Russian forces in or around Kyiv or to the north of Kyiv, and we’re not showing Russian forces in or around Chernihiv.”
The official added, “We have now seen that the Russians have moved from the north into Belarus and to Russia for refit and resupply. We have seen indications that that refit and resupply is occurring.”
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The media report also stated that Russian troops are shelling major cities continuously as they retreat. The official said that overall, the Russian military has launched more than 1,450 missiles against Ukraine since the invasion began.
However, the official said that “we are assessing that they have completely withdrawn from Kyiv and from Chernihiv.”
Meanwhile, the Pentagon also said on Wednesday that it assessed that Ukraine could win the war against Russia, even as US officials speak of the risk of a protracted conflict.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told a news briefing, “Of course they [Ukraine] can win this. The proof is literally in the outcomes that you’re seeing everyday … absolutely they can win.”
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