Russian withdrawal from Kyiv region gesture of goodwill: Kremlin

The withdrawal of Russian forces from the Kyiv region is a gesture of goodwill to create favourable conditions for Russia-Ukraine talks, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told France's LCI broadcaster on Wednesday.

Peskov added that Russia is interested in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's "accepting" conditions that were proposed at negotiations and aims to end the military operation based on those conditions.

"Ukraine needs to agree on the statuses of Crimea and Donbas republics," the Kremlin spokesperson said.

The spokesman asserted that the status of Crimea as a Russian region and the status of Donbas republics as independent countries is "obvious."

The statements come amid Russian withdrawal from several areas of Ukraine in what is being seen as a shift in strategy following major setbacks in the over a month-long Russian campaign.

Talking about the killings of civilians in Bucha, Pescov said that the matter should be investigated, but added that, "it is necessary to decide what will be an impartial and independent probe."

"Of course, the monstrous staging in Bucha should and must be investigated. But it must be decided what will be a truly impartial, independent investigation. We all remember various types of investigations where Russia has not been a party lately, and which under no circumstances can be perceived as independent. It is very important to avoid such a situation," Peskov told reporters.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged on Sunday to conduct an independent investigation of the case in Bucha near Kyiv, which the Russian Defense Ministry called a staged provocation by the Ukrainian authorities.

Meanwhile, Western countries including the European Union, the G7, the US and the UK issued fresh rounds of sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine.

( With inputs from ANI )