Russia scales back its military ambitions but the war in Ukraine is far from over

Last week's announcement that Putin's forces were limiting operations to the Donbas and their mission was nearly complete is merely a shift in emphasis

• Russia-Ukraine war: latest updates

One month after Russian president Vladimir Putin asserted that Ukraine should be liberated from the historical mistake of its independence, the Russian defence ministry has announced that Russia's war aims were limited to the Donbas region, and were nearing completion.

This climbdown is undoubtedly laying the groundwork for selling the operation as a success to the Russian public despite an abysmal military combat performance. But that does not mean a rapid end to the war.