Ukraine's deputy defense minister says the country has regained control of the Kyiv region from Russian forces.

"Irpin, Bucha, Hostomel and the whole Kyiv region were liberated from the invader," said Hanna Maliar in a Facebook post on Saturday.

The Ukrainian government said it has retaken more than 30 towns and villages.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday Russia is slowly but noticeably withdrawing its forces in northern Ukraine.

But he warned Russian troops are laying mines across the country. He urged Ukrainian evacuees to wait until safety is secured before they return home.

Russian forces are stepping up their offensive in eastern Ukraine.

Russia's defense ministry announced on Saturday that its airstrikes had destroyed Ukrainian armored vehicles and fuel tanks near railway stations in the regions of Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk.

The two sides continue to engage in ceasefire talks but differences remain.

A Ukrainian negotiator said on Saturday that enough progress had been made to allow for direct talks between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But Reuters news agency quoted Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as saying negotiations were not easy, though they would continue. Peskov reportedly said Ukraine is hostile toward Russia.