The Minister of Defense said that Russia will withdraw its forces that had mobilized near the Ukrainian border

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said, Thursday, that the government will withdraw tens of thousands of soldiers and vehicles that have been stationed on the Ukrainian border in recent weeks and that They raised concerns that Russia was preparing a new military operation on Ukrainian soil. According to Shoigu, the forces were conducting military exercises, and after they had proven “their ability to provide reliable defense for the country,” they would be withdrawn and would be able to return to their bases. At the moment, the troop withdrawal has only been announced, and we will know in the coming days if it really happened.

According to the Ukrainian government, the Russian army has mobilized about 100 thousand soldiers in different areas not far from the borders, in addition to armored vehicles, artillery and military aircraft. It is the largest concentration of forces since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, and this has worried Ukraine and its allies in Europe and the United States a lot.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted on Thursday that troop reductions were reducing tension proportionally, and thanked international allies for their support. A few hours earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin was speaking in his annual State of the Nation address She attacked the western countries in particularAnd their threat of a “asymmetric, swift and harsh” military response if they cross the “red line” that Russia will have to draw: It is not clear what exactly Putin meant by the “red line”, but many have seen a reference to the crisis in Ukraine.

Reducing the forces on our borders proportionately reduces tension. ???????? Always vigilant, however any steps to reduce the military presence and de-escalate the situation in Donbas are welcomed. Ukraine seeks peace. Grateful to international partners for their support # Together is stronger

– Vladimir Zelensky (@ZelenskyyUa) April 22, 2021