Yesterday, the Russians said they were going to scale back operations around Kyiv in Ukraine as a gesture of good will during negotiations to end the war.
Who would believe them? Russian intentions in Ukraine were cloaked in lies long before the beginning of the war. Remember “we have no intention of attacking Ukraine,” in January?
The same day Russians anounced they were “scaling back,” Ukranian troops were advancing. I’m no military strategist, but is it possible Russians are retreating from Kyiv because they are losing? I suppose it would not have played well to Putin for his generals to say “Ukranians are kicking our ass, but we’re calling the retreat our idea and a ‘scaling back’ to save face.”
Or, perhaps Russia wants to send what’s left of their Kyiv troops to Mariupol or Donbass to hold on to those areas until there is a cease fire and they can win at the negotiating table what they were unable to win on the ground.
In any case, today it appears they have resumed shelling Kyiv. I don’t know how “scaling back” is still trying to kill the other side.
Like I said, who would believe them?