Russia in Broad Retreat From Kyiv, In search of to Regroup From Battering

The Kremlin maintained its defiance as state tv launched an interview with Dmitri S. Peskov, Mr. Putin’s spokesman, characterizing the US as being on the root of Europe’s ills. He expressed confidence that European nations would renew relations with Russia as soon as they “sober up somewhat from the American bourbon.”

Mr. Kofman, the skilled on the Russian army, mentioned the Russian pullback from Kyiv had begun quietly a few week in the past and had now accelerated.

After the assault on the capital stalled about two weeks in the past, he mentioned, solely two choices remained: withdrawing or leaving forces within the space to pin down Ukrainian models, stopping them from reinforcing troops within the nation’s east or south. It now seems the Russians are withdrawing, he mentioned.

All through Ukraine, he mentioned, the Russian military has misplaced about 2,000 items of kit that had been both destroyed, captured or deserted, together with about 350 tanks.

In different developments on Saturday, Pope Francis, visiting the Mediterranean island nation of Malta, edged nearer to blaming President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for the warfare in Ukraine than he had earlier than. In an deal with to Maltese dignitaries and officers, the pope blamed a “potentate, sadly caught up in anachronistic claims of nationalist pursuits” for casting “darkish shadows of warfare” from Europe’s east.

Francis has declined to explicitly blame Mr. Putin or Russia because the aggressor for numerous causes, together with the Vatican’s hopes of enjoying a job in a possible peace settlement, and out of precaution to not endanger Roman Catholics world wide. However on Saturday, he clearly appeared to be talking about Mr. Putin, who he mentioned was “frightening and fomenting conflicts.”

Andrew E. Kramer reported from Bucha, Ukraine, and Neil MacFarquhar from New York. Reporting was contributed by Anton Troianovski in Istanbul; Carlotta Gall in Dmytrivka, Ukraine; Megan Specia in Warsaw; Steven Erlanger in Brussels; and Jason Horowitz in Rome.