The planned regrouping of Russian troops is taking place on the Kiev and Chernigov directions, Major General Igor Konashenkov, an official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, said, TASS reported.

"There is a planned regrouping of troops in the Kiev and Chernigov directions. During the first stage of the special military operation conducted by the Russian Armed Forces in Donbass and Ukraine, it was planned to force the enemy to concentrate its forces, means, resources and military equipment to hold large settlements in these directions, including Kiev," he said.

According to Konashenkov, there was a plan to restrain the AFU on the battlefield and without storming cities, to avoid civilian casualties, inflict such a defeat on Kiev's armed formations that would not allow it to use these forces in the main direction of the Russian Armed Forces - in Donbass. All these goals have been achieved," the general said.