Military analysts say Russia’s pullback from Kyiv appears to be real.
The Ukrainians have launched successful but limited counterattacks east and northeast of Kyiv, blows that may have sped up the Russian pullback once it became clear to Moscow that its forces would not be able to take Ukraine’s capital, according to Western diplomats and independent military analysts.

The Russian pullback is real, these officials and analysts say, a sign that Moscow’s initial strategy has failed in the face of grave planning failures, logistical problems and fierce and effective Ukrainian resistance. But they caution that it will take some days to be certain of what Russian forces are doing.

The new analyses come after Pentagon and NATO officials had initially raised doubts about the Russian withdrawal, arguing that it could be just a repositioning of forces or a chance to refit and resupply forces in Belarus, away from Ukrainian attacks.
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@nytimes