INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Russia has removed about two-thirds of the troops it had around Kyiv, mostly sent back to Belarus with plans to redeploy elsewhere in
Ukraine, a senior Pentagon official said Monday."They have about a third left of the forces that they had arrayed against Kyiv," the
official said on grounds of anonymity."We do begin to see them consolidating in Belarus
What we continue to believe is that they're going to be refit, resupplied, perhaps maybe even reinforced with additional manpower, and then
sent back into Ukraine to continue fighting elsewhere," the official said.The redeployment comes after Ukraine forces delivered a strong
pushback against the Russians, who invaded Ukraine on Feb
24 with the apparent intent of quickly capturing Kyiv, the capital, and replacing the government.Western military analysts have called the
failed Kyiv siege a significant defeat for the Russians, but Moscow has suggested it wants to focus its military efforts on the country's
southeast Donbas region, where they have joined hands with pro-Russia secessionist forces.The Pentagon official said the withdrawn troops
had not yet shown signs of moving to Donbas
supply it with tanks made in the former Soviet Union to continue their counterattack on Russian forces."We continue to discuss and talk with
allies and partners about security assistance for Ukraine," the official said."But these decisions about what a nation provides to Ukraine
are national decisions that they have to make for themselves."Nine weeks into the war, Washington has stressed that it was only providing
"defensive" arms to Ukraine, like precision weapons to destroy Russian armored vehicles.Some 14 other countries are providing what are
generally more offensive-use weapons, the official said.
