By Peter Weber, The Week

The Pentagon said Wednesday that Russian forces have completely withdrawn from near Kyiv and Chernihiv in northern Ukraine and are refitting in Belarus and Russia for probable eventual deployment to eastern Ukraine.

“The withdrawal of Russian troops from the north around Kyiv wasn’t a relaxing stroll in the park for these guys,” a senior Pentagon official told reporters Wednesday. “The Ukrainians were hitting them as they were moving away,” taking “full advantage” of the retreat “and further depleting these units as they were leaving the country.”

“We are not showing Russian forces in or around Kyiv or in or around Chernihiv,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby confirmed, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin “has achieved zero of his strategic goals” and Ukraine “absolutely” can win this war.

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