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Russia reports partial troop withdrawal
Maneuvers complete, back to barracks – these images from the Russian Defense Ministry are intended to show some troops being withdrawn from the border with Ukraine. Videos circulated Tuesday showed tanks and other military vehicles being loaded onto trains. According to the ministry, further equipment will be transported away by truck, and some of the soldiers will march back to their bases. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels that this gave cause for cautious optimism: “But so far we haven’t seen any signs of a de-escalation on the ground.” If war equipment is left behind, the troops could return very quickly and be operational, said Stoltenberg. Russia denies allegations that it is planning an invasion of Ukraine. Moscow, on the other hand, is demanding security guarantees from the West. Russia has more than 100,000 soldiers stationed on the border with eastern Ukraine. In addition, the Russian military is holding maneuvers with its ally Belarus north of Ukraine and in the Black Sea south of the country. On Tuesday, Moscow also announced another military exercise in the eastern Mediterranean.
NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg expressed “cautious optimism”. However, he does not yet see any signs of de-escalation on the Ukrainian border.