Russia signals it’s been DEFEATED in bid to topple Kyiv as Kremlin says it’ll focus only on ‘liberating’ separatists

RUSSIA appeared to admit it has been defeated in its bid to topple Kyiv after the Kremlin said on Friday it will now only focus on "liberating" pro-Moscow separatist regions.

Moscow signalled it was scaling back its invasion in Ukraine to focus on territory claimed by Russian-backed separatists as the fierce resistance reoccupy towns up to 21 miles east of the capital.

The Russian army said the first phase of its military campaign was over and troops will now focus on the complete "liberation" of the country's eastern Donbas region.

But Ukrainian defenders will remain wary of Russian rhetoric, with the Kremlin downplaying its so-called "special operation" being seen as a familiar tactic to try to sow false confidence before a renewed assault.

Sergei Rudskoi, chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of Russia's armed forces, said on Friday: "The main tasks of the first stage of the operation have been completed.

"The combat potential of Ukraine's armed forces has been significantly reduced, which allows (us) - I emphasise once again - to focus our main efforts on achieving the main goal - the liberation of Donbas."

He claimed Russian forces had "practically" destroyed Ukraine's air force and anti-aircraft defences, as well as the navy.

But Rudskoi said the Russian army did not rule out further attacks on Ukrainian cities - claiming the assaults had not been planned.

"Initially, we did not plan to storm them in order to prevent destruction and minimise losses among personnel and civilians," he told reporters.

"Although we do not rule out such a possibility, however, as individual groupings complete their assigned tasks... our forces and means will concentrate on the main thing - the complete liberation of Donbas."

Putin’s troops have been hit by plummeting morale after the quick victory promised by the tyrant has turned into a bloodbath in the face of Ukrainian resistance.

Ukraine is close to securing a major victory as British defence officials said there was now a "realistic possibility" that the towns of Bucha and Irpin would be encircled by Ukrainian forces.

The Ministry of Defence said Russian troops are facing "considerable supply and morale issues" and it was unlikely they would be able to regroup and capture Kyiv.

But Ukraine said talks with Moscow continued to be "very difficult" and vowed not to back down on its demands, more than a month into Russia's invasion.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. "The negotiation process is very difficult.

"The Ukrainian delegation has taken a strong position and does not relinquish its demands.

"We insist, first of all, on a ceasefire, security guarantees, and territorial integrity of Ukraine."

It comes as...

• At least 300 people died after a theatre in Mariupol was shelled last week, Ukrainian authorities have claimed
• A terrified Russian soldier has revealed they expected the war to be over in two weeks, in an intercepted phone call to his gran
• In a further blow to Putin, Ukraine has reportedly pushed Russian troops out of the capital Kyiv
• US President Joe Biden has warned Nato WILL respond if Russia uses chemical weapons in Ukraine
• A Ukrainian refugee has given a heartbreaking account of how she dodged bodies as Putin's shells landed around her
• Putin's alleged secret family has come to light as he continues his brutal invasion of Ukraine

Ukraine is now littered with the burnt out wrecks of Russian tanks and armoured vehicles, charred remains of downed aircraft, and the dead bodies of soldiers - many of who were teenage conscripts.

As the fighting takes its toll on Russian troops, stories are beginning to emerge of anger and plummeting morale.

One soldier allegedly drove his tank into his commanding officer as he protested horrific losses among his comrades.

Colonel Yuri Medvedev was hospitalised with severe leg injuries after the reported incident.

Russia accidentally revealed it has lost 10,000 troops, when the figure was disclosed by a pro-Kremlin newspaper.

But NATO has said that figure could be as high as 15,000 with the total losses including wounded, captured or missing up to 40,000.

If the estimate is correct, then Russian losses in just under a month in Ukraine are now the same as they suffered during their ten year war in Afghanistan, which ended in 1989.

President Volodymyr Zelensky urged his country to keep up its military defence and not stop "even for a minute".

He used his nightly video address to rally Ukrainians to "move toward peace, move forward".

He said: "With every day of our defence, we are getting closer to the peace that we need so much.

"We can't stop even for a minute, for every minute determines our fate, our future, whether we will live."