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Russian military vehicles on the border with Ukraine
Photo: REUTERS
According to official information from Moscow, the Russian army began withdrawing troops from the Ukrainian border on Friday.
The soldiers who took part in the exercises would return to their traditional military bases, the Ministry of Defense said to the Interfax agency.
Military units are currently marching to rail loading stations and airfields, the Ria Novosti news agency reported in the morning, citing the Ministry of Defense.
Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on Thursday that he would withdraw to the barracks.
The decree came into force on Friday, it said.
Accordingly, the loading of warships, including those of the marine infantry and the Black Sea Fleet, began at the Opuk military training area near the coast.
There alone 10,000 soldiers and 1200 units of armaments and combat technology were withdrawn.
More than 40 warships as well as ground troops, fighter jets and air defense units were involved.
How many soldiers are affected by the withdrawal order that has now been issued was initially unclear.
Russia had stationed tens of thousands of soldiers on the Ukrainian border and in Crimea in the past few weeks, creating international concern amid new tensions in the Ukraine conflict.
Russia had justified the exercise, criticized by Ukraine as an act of aggression, with the fact that the defense readiness of the armed forces was traditionally checked in the spring.
The goal has been achieved, which is why the troops can now return home, said Minister Schoigu.
However, according to Western experts, the military deployment was stronger than it had been since 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea.
A conflict with pro-Russian separatists supported by Moscow has been raging in eastern Ukraine since 2014.
So far, more than 13,000 people have been killed in it.
A peace plan agreed in 2015 through the mediation of Germany and France is on hold.
mfh / AFP / Reuters / dpa
