Russian forces have now “fully withdrawn” from northern Ukraine and at least some will be transferred to fight in the eastern Ukraine, the U.K.’s defense ministryA Ukrainian soldier stands on the outskirts of Kyiv following the withdrawal of Russian troops fromRussian forces in northern Ukraine have now completely withdrawn to Belarus and Russia, the U.K. defense ministry said in an intelligence update.
Some of these troops will be transferred to fight in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, the ministry said, though many will “require significant replenishment” before they can be redeployed. Any mass redeployment of forces from the north will likely take “at least a week minimum,” the statement said.
The ministry said Russian shelling of cities in the east and south of Ukraine continues and Russian forces “have advanced further south from the strategically important city of Izium,” which remains under Russian control.of Russian losses during the war by the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Thursday, who said Russia has suffered “significant losses of troops” during its invasion of Ukraine.