Russia Says It Is Pulling Back More Troops amid Ukraine Standoff

[Sherman A1]

MOSCOW — Russia said Wednesday it was returning more troops and weapons to bases, yet another gesture apparently aimed at easing fears it is planning to invade Ukraine, even as the U.S. said the threat of an attack remained.

Russia has massed about 150,000 troops east, north and south of Ukraine, sparking Western concerns it was planning an assault. There have been no indications of a significant withdrawal of those forces, but this week has seen a handful of gestures from Moscow that offered hope that Europe might avoid war following weeks of escalating East-West tensions.

On Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry released a video showing a trainload of armored vehicles moving across a bridge away from Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. It said the movement was part of a return of forces to their permanent bases.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/02/16/russia-says-it-pulling-back-more-troops-amid-ukraine-standoff.html

[Scrivener7]

1. Meanwhile, NATO is saying there's no evidence of a pullback.

[Tetrachloride]

2. There are 6-8 areas of armed conflict within in 1200 miles of me

2 days ago, helicopters were doing their monthly training.

The police have a spot around the corner from me where they can catch a few hours of sleep. Some of them have automatic weapons.

All of us here enjoy our peace and none of us want to be part of those other conflicts.

But we are alert.

The lesson is appreciation of Ukraine staying alert when tanks are some few miles away. Empty words from Russia mean nothing. When the tanks are gone, a new tolerable status quo will return.