Russia’s military has said it will “fundamentally cut back” operations near the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Chernihiv “to increase trust” in talks between the two countries.
It follows fresh peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Istanbul on Tuesday aimed at securing an end to fighting on the ground.
The move appears to be the first major concession the Russians have made since the invasion of Ukraine began on February 24.
However, it remains unclear whether Vladimir Putin’s forces will carry out the decision following repeated violations of agreed ceasefires this past month. Western leaders have so far treated Russian claims of de-escalation with skepticism amid the stream of disinformation surrounding the war spread by the Kremlin.
Russia’s deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin said the decision would help achieve the “ultimate goal” of a peace agreement between the two sides, in comments reported by Russian news agency Ria Novosti.
The Ukrainian general staff of the military said earlier it had noted withdrawals around Kyiv and Chernihiv, but the Pentagon said it could not corroborate the reports.
Thousands of civilians have been killed since Mr Putin launched his invasion last month, with over 4 million people forced to flee the country. The Kremlin has failed to achieve its key objectives amid logistical issues, low morale and fierce Ukrainian resistance.
Mr Fomin said that Russia’s General Staff would reveal more detail about the decision after the delegation has returned to Moscow.
Ukraine on Tuesday proposed neutral status, as previously demanded by Moscow, but stressed it would retain security guarantees.
Negotiators said they had proposed a status under which the country would not join alliances or host bases of foreign troops, but would instead have it security guaranteed in terms similar to NATO’s “Article 5” - a collective defense clause.
They said countries such as Israel or NATO members Canada, Poland and Turkey could provide such guarantees.
Russia’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said President Putin would examine the proposals and give a response in due course. The Kremlin has demanded an effective moratorium on Ukraine ever joining Nato.
Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich was also present at Tuesday’s talks and is playing an unspecified mediating role at the summit. The oligarch is reported to have suffered symptoms of poisoning during negotiations earlier this month.
It came as fighting edged towards a bloody stalemate across Ukraine, with Mr Putin’s forces continuing their shelling of the southern city of Mariupol.
Ukrainian forces claimed to have recaptured the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, on Monday evening - cutting off a strategic route to the capital.
Russia on Friday claimed it would scale back its military objectives to focus on the Donbas region in the east of the country, where Moscow-backed rebels have been waging a separatist war for the past eight years.
The United Nations said at least 1,119 civilians had been killed and 1,790 wounded since Russia began its attack last month.
