Move could be sign of de-escalation amid fears of invasion but size of planned withdrawal is unclear


Russia’s defence ministry has announced it is to withdraw some of its troops from the border with Ukraine in a possible de-escalation of the threat of a potential invasion.

But the size of the withdrawal remains unclear and may involve just a fraction of Russia’s forces at the Ukrainian border, which western officials estimate at more than 60% of the country’s ground forces.

The announcement of the withdrawal came in a statement from the defence ministry spokesperson Igor Konoshenkov, who described ongoing exercises that involved forces from “practically all military districts, fleets, and the airborne forces”.

“Units of the southern and western military districts, which have accomplished their missions, are boarding trains and trucks and will head for their garrisons later today,” Konoshenkov said in the statement.

The defence ministry also released a video of some Russian tanks and other heavy weaponry being loaded onto railway cars, the Interfax news service reported.

Russia’s rouble currency reportedly posted gains following the announcement, indicating that investors hoped this would mark the beginning of a de-escalation of tensions between Russia and the west.

Russia has previously announced the conclusion of military exercises near the Ukrainian border, but social media and satellite photography taken in the following days have not shown considerable changes to Russia’s force posture. Those exercises involved just a small number of troops.

And many of the troops located close to the Ukrainian border are not involved in any formal trainings. When questioned on the buildup, Russia has merely said that it has the right to move troops as it wishes within its own territory.

Russia is holding large joint exercises with Belarus scheduled to end on 20 February. Western countries have warned that those drills could be used as cover to prepare for an attack on Ukraine, while Russia has said those troops will return to base once the exercises have concluded.

Russian government officials moved quickly to accuse the west of hysteria and argue that the withdrawal of troops showed that Nato warnings of an invasion were spurious.

“15 February 2022 will go into history as the day western war propaganda failed,” Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, wrote in a Facebook post after the announcement. “They have been disgraced and destroyed without a single shot being fired.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/15/russia-ukraine-border-troops-withdrawal

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/04/22/russia-to-withdraw-troops-from-ukraine-border-crimea-a73705

Nothing was happening in the first place, just the usual diplomatic grandstanding

They jus wanted to flex muscles to threaten Ukraine and NATO. No country especially in the West can afford a full blown war at the moment.

Putin, the nightmare of the west

"15 February 2022 will go into history as the day western war propaganda failed"

Russia for the past 3 months : we have no intension of invading anyone. Our troops are in our borders.

USA for the past 3 months : Russian invasion of Ukraine "Imminent". It will happen in a matter of days or weeks at max

British propaganda websites : Based on US intelligence agencies, Russia poised to attack Ukraine on "Tuesday".... After that "next week". After that one, on "Wednesday"

Russia said they have no intension of invading. When no invasion takes place, what will all these useless US and British warmongers say?
Normally I would expect them to feel ashamed but an american, writer Mark Twain wrote in his book:

"We are Anglo-Saxons"
"We, the British and Americans, are thieves, robbers and murderers, which is what we are proud of !"
"And when the Anglo-Saxon needs something, he goes and takes"
Our motto: We kill in the name of the Lord!

Which is why I won't. These guys have no iota of shame at all

I said it. Russia will not attack because Putin know very well that the war will not stop with Ukraine once it starts.