reporter: the east. so that is consistent with what we re hearing overnight and in recent days. forces from the north, in fact, when we look at what has happened so far, from kharkiv south and from mariupol north. why? what we re hearing from the experts looking at what s happening here is to close off this eastern region. so that supply routes coming from the west cannot make it through, they get choked off right there in the east. so if they can stop those fresh reinforcements, that s what they re maybe trying to do. and in a sign of strength or weakness, a u.s. official tells reuters for the first time they are seeing signs of russia pulling troops from georgia to this theater. georgia way down here, as you can see. the distance from here up to the