The Russian military says over 10,000 troops are returning to their permanent bases after a month of training in the region, including in areas near the Ukrainian border.
Interfax news agency reported the drills were held in several regions near Ukraine, including in Crimea, as well as in the southern Russian regions of Rostov and Kuban.
Russia’s deployment of tens of thousands of troops to the north, east and south of Ukraine had fuelled fears in Kyiv and Western capitals that Moscow was planning an attack.
Russia denies any such plans, stressing it needs pledges from the West – including a promise from NATO not to expand the alliance eastward towards Russian borders – because its own security is threatened by Ukraine’s growing ties with the Western alliance.
Moscow also says that it can deploy its troops on its territory as it sees fit.
Estimates for the number of Russian troops recently moved closer to Ukraine vary from 60,000 to 90,000, with one US intelligence document suggesting that number could be ramped up as high as 175,000.
“A stage of combat coordination of divisions, combat crews, squads at motorized units… has been completed. More than 10,000 military servicemen… will march to their permanent deployment from the territory of the combined arms’ area of drills,” Interfax quoted the army as saying.
The 2nd Music Industry Exhibition opened in Tehran on Tuesday at the landmark Milad Tower’s…
Iran's Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Abdolnasser Hemmati is set to travel to Saudi…
The advisor to Iran’s Leader in international affairs says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky governs irresponsibly…
The agreement on all-encompassing partnership between Moscow and Tehran will cover the defense and security…
Tehran has further increased its oil prices for deliveries to private buyers in China despite…
As much as 54% of Israelis favor reaching an agreement to end the conflict in…