According to Russia's defence ministry, some troops in Russia's military districts bordering Ukraine are returning to bases after completing drills, a move that could de-escalate tensions between Moscow and the West, a Reuters report reads.
While large-scale drills across the country continued, several units of the Southern and Western military districts concluded their exercises and began returning to bases, Russia's Interfax news agency reported Russia has gathered over 100,000 troops near Ukraine's borders, raising worries of an invasion, especially given Moscow's joint drills with Belarus from February 10-20, which effectively encircle Ukraine.
When Russia and Belarus launched military drills on February 10, the drills were expected to last till February 20. At the time, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Moscow Times that Russian soldiers “will return to their permanent locations” because “we’re talking about allied exercises and of course, this is understood.” Putin had been increasingly bulking military presence at the border near Ukraine, escalating tensions between Russia and the West. The US had warned Russia of dire consequences if Russia did invade Ukraine. The US is also temporarily closing the operation of its embassy in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and moving operations to Lviv a city in western Ukraine.
