The Latest Breaking News from John Kirby

KYIV, Ukraine — Russian forces Wednesday carried out punishing strikes against key Ukrainian cities, brushing aside mounting world outrage over the execution-style killings of civilians even as Washington and its Western allies moved to impose sharp new sanctions against Moscow.

Ukraine news from April 5: Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells UN that ‘accountability must be inevitable’ for Russia.

Ukrainian leader says Russia is building up troops in the east of the country for new attacks on the Donbas region.

In its most specific description of Russian forces moving away from Kyiv, the Pentagon said “less than 20 percent” of the Russian contingent in the vicinity of the Ukrainian capital are starting to “reposition.” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby gave no specific troop number on Wednesday.

The Ukrainian president says his country’s defense against the Russian invasion is at a “turning point.”

LVIV, Ukraine — A day after Russia said it would “drastically” reduce attacks on strategic northern cities in its war against Ukraine, those regions came under fresh bombardment Wednesday, deepening Ukrainian and Western officials’ skepticism over any easing of the offensive.

‘We believe that Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about how badly the Russian military is performing ... because his senior advisers are too afraid to tell him the truth’

Troops moved likely to be redeployed rather than returning to Russia, Pentagon says

WASHINGTON — Russian President Vladimir Putin has been misinformed by advisers about his military’s performance in Ukraine and the effect of sanctions on his country’s economy, a White House spokeswoman said, citing unspecified U.S. intelligence.