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2 days after Russia says will scale back, UK intel says ‘shelling in Chernihiv’
Russia-Ukraine peace talks: Russia said it would '… cut back military activity in the direction of Kyiv and Chernihiv' to ‘increase mutual trust’.
Russian strikes on the northern Ukraine city of Chernihiv continue despite Moscow saying it intends to scale back military activity in that area, and around capital Kyiv, British intelligence said Thursday. In its daily update the British defence ministry said 'significant Russian shelling and missile strikes' had been carried out around Chernihiv and that enemy forces still hold positions to the east and west of Kyiv, with 'heavy fighting' expected in the coming days.
British military intel also suggested 'heavy fighting' would continue in and around the besieged city of Mariupol as well, but Ukraine forces control the city centre to frustrate Russia's capture of the key port city.
Russia today announced a temporary ceasefire in Mariupol to allow citizens to leave. The city of around 400,000 has been heavily bombed, with local officials claiming that over 5,000 - including women and children - have been killed.
After the latest round of peace talks in Turkey on Tuesday, Russia said it would '… cut back military activity in the direction of Kyiv and Chernihiv' to 'increase mutual trust and create conditions for further negotiations'.
READ: Shelling 'all night' casts doubt on Russian vow to de-escalate
No details were offered of what this mean in practical terms.
READ: Gunfire in Kyiv day after Russia says will ‘cut back’ military activity
The 'promise' to reduce military activity - though welcome relief for Ukrainians battered and bruised after a conflict seen as Europe's worst since World War II - was met with some scepticism by Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"Ukrainians have learned during these 34 days... and over the past eight years of war in Donbas... only thing they can trust is a concrete result," Zelenskyy said.
READ: Zelenskyy says ‘Ukraine isn't naive’ as Russia pledges to trim attack
US president Joe Biden and UK deputy prime minister Dominic Raab said they valued action over words; US secretary of state Antony Blinken even warned the offer of a military pullback could be an attempt to 'deceive and deflect' as Russia re-focus its efforts to capture Ukraine.
Reports indicate Moscow is now reinforcing positions in the Donbas - one of two breakaway regions Russia is eyeing - in a bid to surround Ukraine's forces.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the US had detected small numbers of Russian forces moving away from Kyiv, but it appeared to be a repositioning and 'not a real withdrawal'.
With input from Reuters
