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On Thursday Russian Defense Minister Gen. Sergey Shoygu announced Russian troops that have been amassing on the border with Ukraine for the past month would withdraw by May 1.
Shoygu’s announcement comes as Ukrainian forces, as well as U.S. forces in Europe and other European nations, have been on alert as more than 100,000 Russian troops have massed on the Russia-Ukrain border in recent weeks.
During a meeting in Crimea reported by Interfax, Shoygu announced troops from the 58th Army of the Southern Military District, the 41st Army of the Central Military District, and the 7th, 76th Airborne Assault and 98th Airborne Divisions would return to their regular deployment areas after completing what he called a “surprise check” of their readiness to rapidly deploy.
Russia has reportedly used the tactic of deploying thousands of troops in training drills and then, once the drills are over, leaving behind additional troops and pieces of military equipment that weren’t there before the drill began.
Earlier this week, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russian deployment includes the permanent relocation of large formations of troops to Crimea, including a regiment of paratroopers, according to U.S. News and World Report.
“We cannot know for sure whether Moscow will begin to decide a new stage of aggression against Ukraine, but it is certain that they will be prepared, all ready to do so in the coming weeks,” Kuleba said.
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