Pentagon sees Russia starting to reposition less than 20% of forces around Kyiv

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said at a news briefing that some of the Russian forces may have already moved into Belarus, as opposed to their home garrisons.

“If the Russians are serious about de-escalating, cause that's their claim here, then they should send them home. But they're not doing that,” Kirby said.

Military analysts say Russia has reframed its war goals in Ukraine in a way that may make it easier for Moscow to claim a face-saving victory despite a woeful campaign in which his army has suffered humiliating setbacks.

Russian contractor Wagner Group had deployed about 1,000 contractors into Ukraine's Donbas region, which Moscow has declared a priority, Kirby said.

We have seen indications that the Wagner Group is recruiting in places like Syria in places like northern Africa, Libya,” Kirby said.

Kirby also told reporters that he agreed with reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin was misled by advisers who were too scared to tell him how poorly the war in Ukraine is going and how damaging Western sanctions have been.

Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of its southern neighbour has been halted on many fronts by stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces who have recaptured territory even as civilians are trapped in besieged cities.

White House and European officials said on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was misled by advisers who were too scared to tell him how poorly the war in Ukraine is going and how damaging Western sanctions have been.

“We have information that Putin felt misled by the Russian military, which has resulted in persistent tension between Putin and his military leadership,” Kate Bedingfield, White House communications director, told reporters during a press briefing.

“We believe that Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about how badly the Russian military is performing and how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions because his senior advisors are too afraid to tell him the truth,” she said.

The U.S. was putting forward this information now to show “this has been a strategic error for Russia,” she said.

The Kremlin made no immediate comment about the assertions after the end of the working day in Moscow, and the Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Bedingfield also said now is clearly not the time to scheme with Putin, when asked about former President Donald Trump's calling on Putin to release information about Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden.

"What kind of American, let alone an ex-president, thinks that this is the right time to enter into a scheme with Vladimir Putin and brag about his connections to Vladimir Putin? There is only one and it's Donald Trump,” she told reporters.