Russia has pulled back even tactical units from the Ukrainian border while Kyiv has deployed a 15,000-strong force in the border area, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said.
“Seeking to rule out further provocations, we have pulled back from the border even the tactical units, which were practicing at training ranges. The Defense Minister of the Russian Federation informed his U.S. counterpart about that on the phone,” Antonov told reporters on May 8.
“Against this backdrop the concentration of Ukrainian armed forces continues on the Russian-Ukrainian border. A 15,000-strong Ukrainian force has been deployed in the border zone. Army conscription has resumed,” he noted.
“Simultaneously, NATO forces are being built up in Eastern Europe,” the deputy minister said.
“To say the least, such steps taken amid the ongoing crisis do not help de-escalate tensions in Ukraine,” he noted.
