Russian troops have vacated areas around Kiev and Chernigov, according to the Pentagon, following a pledge by Kremlin to reduce military activity in the region amid talks to put an end to the conflict.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin told reporters on March 30 that "in order to increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations and achieving the ultimate goal of agreeing and signing (an) agreement, a decision was made to radically, by a large margin, reduce military activity in the Kiev and Chernigov directions."

Today, the Pentagon released an assessment that Russian forces near Kiev and Chernigov have completed their withdrawal from the area "to re-consolidate and refit in Belarus and in Russia."

“We are not showing Russian forces in or around Kiev or to the north [of] Kiev, and we’re not showing Russian forces in or around Chernigov," it said.

The withdrawal has not been without controversy, as reports have surfaced following Russia's withdrawal that a massacre was committed in the town of Bucha on the outskirts of Kiev. Ukrainian officials allege that Russia was the perpetrator, while Moscow says that there is clear evidence that the massacre took place after Russia withdrew from the town.

Russia requested a UN Security Council meeting to address the matter, but the UK blocked it.