The US's national intelligence director Avril Haines said Washington expects the 'reduced tempo' in the Ukraine conflict to continue over the coming  months. 'Most of the fighting right now around Bakhmut and the Donetsk area has slowed down with the withdrawal of Russia from the western Kherson area to the east of the river. And we expect that's likely to be what we see in the coming months,' Haines said at the annual Reagan National Defense Forum in California on Saturday. 
Haines added that both countries would be aiming to 'refit and resupply' munitions through the winter before possible spring counter-offensives, but cast doubt on Russia's ability to do that. 
Russia-Ukraine war: latest news updates