Ukrainian forces have retaken key terrain in the north of their country after beating back Russian forces from the area around Chernihiv and Kyiv, British intelligence officials said Tuesday.
“Low-level fighting is likely to continue in some parts of the newly recaptured regions, but diminish significantly over this week as the remainder of Russian forces withdraw,” the U.K. Ministry of Defence said in a daily update.
The ministry said Russian units that withdraw will require “significant re-equipping and refurbishment” before deploying to eastern Ukraine, as Moscow signals it will focus its invasion on that part of the country.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it will be very difficult to conduct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin after seeing evidence of atrocities in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha on Monday. Bodies of civilians were left in the street.
“It might happen that there will be no negotiations,” Mr. Zelenskyy said Tuesday on Ukrainian state TV.
Mr. Zelenskyy has said he wants to end the fighting, but he is not willing to give up Ukrainian territory to the Russian invaders.