Russia announces withdrawal of some troops from Ukrainian border

Russian Defense ministry says that large-scale drills will continue

Picture source: AP/Russian Defense Ministry Press Service (for visual reference only)

Russia has said that it was withdrawing a portion of its troops from near Ukraine following fears in Europe and across the world that a build-up may lead to an invasion of Ukraine.

According to foreign media reports, the defense ministry said that its large-scale drills would continue but some units would be returning to the bases.  International powers have reacted with caution to the announcement as there has been no independent confirmation of the withdrawal. No information has been given as to how many units would be withdrawing from the area.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that he would believe the withdrawal when it could be observed. But he claimed to have deterred Russia from further escalation with the help of Ukraine’s western partners.

Meanwhile, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said that history would remember the day when the West’s war propaganda failed. She added that the western nations had been disgraced and destroyed without the need for a single shot to be fired.

Over 100,000 Russian troops have amassed at the Ukrainian border. The US has warned that an invasion could be imminent and moved its embassy out of the capital Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Russia has repeatedly denied that it had intentions to invade Ukraine.