US intel assess 'major' strategy shift by Russia as it moves some forces away from Kyiv

[underpants]

Source: CNN

Russia is beginning to withdraw some forces from the area around the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv in what the US assesses as a "major" strategy shift by Moscow, two senior US officials tell CNN.

The Russian forces now pulling back in some areas of the north will focus on gains in the south and east. The US is already observing these movements underway, including Russian Battalion Tactical Groups leaving the surrounding areas around Kyiv.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said Tuesday that it has decided to "drastically reduce hostilities" in the Kyiv and Chernigov directions, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said according to state media RIA.

The US assesses Russia will cover their retreat with air and artillery bombardment of the capital, one of the officials said. US officials caution that Russia could always reverse again if the battle conditions allow.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/29/politics/us-intelligence-russia-ukraine-kyiv-strategy/index.html

[orwell]

1. I don't trust anything...

...these war criminals do or say.

We all should be glad they are retreating. It is likely only due to the fact that they are starting to get roasted in the area surrounding Kyiv.

As long as the War Pig Putin is in charge, Russia should remain a pariah on the world stage.

[Crazyleftie]

20. Thier strategy

is to back away from the cities, and then bomb the crap out of them....that is their MO

[rso]

2. Ukraine

As soon as there is confirmation that Russian troops have dramatically decreased their forces around Kyiv and once they are some distance away, it might be a good idea to quickly re-deploy some ukranian forces to reinforce the south and push Russian forces back.

[PortTack]

3. Russia Moves forces away...? Or as reported being pushed back by Ukrainian forces

[underpants]

7. 👇see post 4

[GregariousGroundhog]

4. I suspect Russia will send these forces to Mariupol and Donbass

Given Ukraine's success in the north, I wonder how strong these forces being withdrawn still are. Russia may be thinking that their best course of action may have been to use what is left of them to reinforce losses in units around Mariupol and Donbas and/or to form new units from what remains to fight in those regions.

[underpants]

8. That's exactly how I was going to respond above

Wearing out
Strong Ukrainian opposition
Settle for the land bridge to Crimea if they can get that in the talks.

Of course, they could be pulling back for a full barrage of missiles into Kyiv…or worse.

[IronLionZion]

9. We'll see if Ukraine will give up that strategic land bridge

That might be too much

[speak easy]

11. Give them access to a highway and that's it.

[Wuddles440]

12. Possibly...

but there have also been reports of troops and materials being relocated to Eastern Ukraine from Georgia. After encountering effective resistance in the northwest sectors, they may simply be promoting this messaging to recover, reinforce, and reassess their strategy/tactics in the west using Belarus as a staging ground. Putin craves resurrecting the old Soviet empire and cannot be trusted!

[Lonestarblue]

5. I doubt Russia is voluntarily pulling back. Ukraine is pushing them back.

I hope this frees up Ukrainians to help liberate Mariupol.

[peppertree]

21. So much for 'world's second or third-most powerful military'

And they might have been - had it not been for what must surely be Soviet-level mismanagement in their ranks and Latin American-level corruption among their contractors.

Which should remind us to keep a closer eye on ours (many an oceanfront mansion has been bought with defense contracts).

[Lonestarblue]

22. Yes. Billions of dollars were wasted in Afghanistan on work outsourced to private contractors.

One project that comes to mind is the $43 million spent to build a gas station like one that Pakistan built for roughly $500,000. The US contractors had a lot of “overhead.”

There is always some corruption, but Trump ushered in an entirely new era of corruption.

[peppertree]

23. Absolutely. The man is the 'National Id', as one observer once described him

The Id, as you know, representing all of mankind's base, crass, and self-indulgent impulses - including, of course, gross 3rd-world-style corruption.

Basically, Trump personified.

[Mysmi]

6. Surrender?

I hope so

[Firestorm49]

10. Hopefully they're not retreating just to prepare for a tactical

nuclear strike. Nobody can take Putin for his word.

[Shipwack]

15. Came here to say this...

Dark minds think alike... 😕

[underpants]

16. I commented the same above

Chemical too.

[Lasher]

24. Tactical nukes.

This is just what I have been fearing, and it is what preparations would look like.

[Mysterian]

13. The Russians are getting their asses kicked

by the highly motivated and resourceful Ukrainian fighting forces.

[Warpy]

14. If the racket on the live sound is any indication

they are still pounding the towns to the north, possibly from Belarus.

Putin still thinks he can take the seaports and the world will allow it. Uh, no, plus the Ukrainians won't allow it. They'll bleed Russia dry as irregulars pick off men and their equipment.

[KS Toronado]

17. As they retreat back into Russia to head east

ambush them on the Russian highways. Get their fuel transports first.
Hell go into Russia and bomb their refineries.

[oldsoftie]

18. I've thought about that too. Attack Russian bases near the border.

If they have that capability.

[KS Toronado]

19. Few more fighter planes and they could take the fighting inside Russia.

Truth be known, the USAF could be secretly training Ukrainian pilots right now to fly A10s or our 2 stealth
fighter jets, F-22 & F-35, all 3 could give Putler headaches if they showed up unexpectedly.

[oldsoftie]

26. And here's an apparent attack in Russia being reported:

https://nypost.com/2022/03/29/ukraine-missile-may-have-hit-military-camp-inside-russia/

"Ukraine appears to strike back for first time with missile hit on Russian military camp"

[modrepub]

25. The SVA Did A Strategic Withdraw

from areas they thought they couldn't hold or maintain. It turned into a route.

Don't be surprised if something similar happens to the RA. Putin is either trying to hold it together by withdrawing to the east in hopes of holding onto the gains he think he can or recognizing he won't be able to bargain from a position of strength much longer.

Every day that passes the RA gets a little bit weaker. While the loses on the Ukrainian side aren't trivial, they are probably being resupplied from NATO countries and who knows what type of training is taking place outside the battle lines. Additional trained fighters and supplies entering the conflict are probably weighing on Putin's mind.