Russia pulls back from north as Red Cross pushes Mariupol rescue

Zaporizhzhia

Ukraine on Saturday said Russian forces were making a "rapid retreat" from northern areas around the capital Kyiv and the city of Chernigiv as the Red Cross prepared for a fresh evacuation effort from the besieged southern port of Mariupol.

Ukraine said Russian forces were concentrating in the east and south, a day after thousands of people from Mariupol and surrounding Russian-held areas escaped in a convoy of buses and private cars.

"Russia is prioritising a different tactic: falling back on the east and south," Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak said on social media.

He said that while Russian forces appeared to be pulling back from Kyiv and Chernigiv, their aim was to "control a vast stretch of occupied territory and set up there in a powerful way".

Mr. Podolyak said Russian forces would "dig in there, set up air defence, drastically reduce losses and dictate terms.

Moscow's aim was to "drastically reduce losses & dictate terms", he said on Twitter on Saturday.

"Without heavy weapons we won't be able to drive (Russia) out".