Russia-Ukraine Conflict | 'Putin Has Given Up On Conquering Kyiv, Focused On South And East': Pentagon Chief On Troops Withdrawal

In its support to Ukraine in the Donbas region, the United States is providing intelligence to its military where Moscow-backed secessionists have been fighting the government forces since 2014

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (Getty Image)

New Delhi:  In its assessment of the conflict, the US Thursday said Russian troops have withdrawn from Kyiv and President Vladimir Putin has given up on conquering the capital city after his forces were soundly beaten back by the Ukrainian military.

Speaking at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee in Congress US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said, “Putin thought that he could very rapidly take over the country of Ukraine, very rapidly capture this capital city. He was wrong“.

 “I think Putin has given up on his efforts to capture the capital city and is now focused on the south and east of the country,” added Austin.

In its support to Ukraine in the Donbas region, the United States is providing intelligence to its military where Moscow-backed secessionists have been fighting the government forces since 2014.

Even six weeks after Russiam invasion of Ukraine, the path of the overall war remains uncertain, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, told Senate Armed Services Committee, according to AFP report.

Supporting in its fight to win, Miley said Ukraine needs to remain a free and independent nation, with its recognised territory intact. “That’s going to be very difficult. That’s going to be a long slog,” Milley said.

 “The first part of it has probably been successfully waged,“ he said of the war that began on February 24.

Miley hinted at a significant battle in the southeast region down around Donbas where the Russians intend to mass forces and continue their assault. 

But Milley said the fight in that area will be difficult, and that to try to push the Russians out, Ukraine will likely need more arms support, like tanks.

 “The fight down in the southeast -- the terrain is different than it is in the north,“ Milley explained.

 “It is much more open and lends itself to armor, mechanized offensive operations, on both sides. And so those are the systems that they’re looking for,“ he said.  “They are asking for and they could probably use additional armor and artillery,“ he said.