Russia Withdraws Its Military From Frontier Territories, Ukraine And America Watch Out

Illustration of Russian military withdrawal at the Ukrainian border. (Wikimedia Commons / Anton Holoborodko)

JAKARTA - The Russian Defense Ministry announced that it had begun withdrawing troops and combat vehicles from Crimea and Ukraine's eastern border, Friday, April 23.

This came after Russia announced a day earlier that it had completed exercises in the southern and western regions of its border, which had stirred tensions with the West.

"The troops have demonstrated their ability to ensure a reliable defense of the country. So I decided to complete inspection activities in the southern and western military districts bordering Ukraine," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in a press release Thursday, April 22 yesterday.

However, Ukraine has welcomed the withdrawal of Russian troops from its eastern border.

"If Russia does pull back from the border with Ukraine, the very large military force that has been deployed there, this will already ease tensions," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a statement to Reuters on Friday, April 23.

"But we need to remember, this step will not end neither the current escalation nor the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in general," he added.

Kuleba added that the withdrawal of Russian military forces from the border with Ukraine could ease tensions. However, the move alone will not stop any escalation or conflict in the eastern Donbass region.

Separately, Washington said it was waiting to see what action followed Moscow's announcement and would continue to be watching closely.

On Friday, Russia said troops from the southern military district and airborne troops taking part in the surprise inspections were preparing to return to base.

Military units and formations marched to the railroad loading station and airfield. Footage of armored vehicles boarding shore landing ships and other military vehicles is being loaded onto the train. Soldiers are shown marching to military planes.

This confirmed troop withdrawal is said to have received a welcome from Western countries, which are concerned about Russia's further intervention in eastern Ukraine.