Thread: Vladimir Putin orders troops near Ukraine border to return to bases

Vladimir Putin orders troops near Ukraine border to return to bases

Russian President has reportedly ordered an end to army drills in western Russia





By Josie Ensor, and agencies
7:26AM GMT 04 Mar 2014

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops participating in military exercises in western Russia near the Ukraine border to return to their permanent bases, according to reports.

Mr Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Interfax news agency early Tuesday that the president had ordered the troops to return to their usual stations.

The Russian leader watched the final day of the exercises on Monday, showing no sign of concern at warnings from western powers that Russia could face sanctions for taking control of Ukraine's southern Crimea region.

"The supreme commander of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, gave the order for the troops and units, taking part in the military exercises, to return to their bases," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying.

Mr Peskov said the exercises had been a success.

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Mr Putin issued the order almost a week after Russia began massive exercises involving most military units in western Russia, stoking fears that the Kremlin might use the troops to seize territory in pro-Russian areas of eastern Ukraine.
Russian troops said to be 16,000 strong tightened their stranglehold on Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula over the weekend, openly defying calls by the US and European Union to withdraw from the region.
Standoffs at military installations across Crimea continute however, after a rumoured final assault on Ukrainian bases failed to materialise last night. On Monday night Ukrainian officials claimed to have been told by Russian commanders to surrender by 3 AM GMT or face the consequences.
Western leaders rallied against Russia yesterday, with Barack Obama saying that it was on the “wrong side of history”, while David Cameron said that the West would use “diplomatic, political and economic pressures” on Moscow.
The United States last night suspended defence cooperation with Russia because of Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine, the Pentagon has said, urging Moscow to "de-escalate the crisis."
"We have, in light of recent events in Ukraine, put on hold all military-to-military engagements between the United States and Russia," spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said in a statement.
The suspension covers "exercises, bilateral meetings, port visits and planning conferences, Mr Kirby said.
The United States is closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine, he said.
"We call on Russia to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine and for Russian forces in Crimea to return to their bases, as required under the agreements governing the Russia Black Sea Fleet," he said.
Mr Kirby also stressed that US forces have not altered their presence in the Black Sea or elsewhere in response to the crisis.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-to-bases.html

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4 March 2014 Last updated at 17:26 ET

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