Russia will withdraw its forces from the Ukrainian border, all goals have been achieved / Article / LSM.lv

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on Thursday that Russia would withdraw its troops stationed at the Ukrainian border in recent weeks. The active movement of Russian troops had raised concerns that Moscow was preparing a new invasion of Ukrainian territory.

Representatives of Ukraine reported that more than 100,000 Russian troops were stationed in the immediate vicinity of Ukraine’s borders. In 2014, Russia took control of the Crimean peninsula through a rapid military operation, so Kiev suspected that the Kremlin, with the help of Donbass separatists, would try to further weaken Ukraine.

However, during his visit to the Crimea on Thursday, Russian Defense Minister Shoiig said that the “inspection measures for the southern and western war zones” would soon be completed, as all goals had been achieved.

“I believe that the objectives of the sudden check have been fully achieved. The troops have demonstrated their ability to carry out secure national defense. Therefore, it has been decided to complete the inspection activities in the Southern and Western war zones, ”Shoiigu said quotes news agency “TASS”.

Heigra is informed that the withdrawal of troops will begin on Friday and that they must return to their permanent deployments by 1 May. The decision applies to the 58th Army of the Southern War Area, the 41st Army of the Central War Area, and the 7th, 76th and 98th Landing Divisions.

At the same time, Shoiigu regretted the increased activity of NATO forces at Russia’s southern borders.

In the autumn, increased activity of Russian troops is also expected near the Latvian border, as in September Russia and Belarus will hold military exercises “Zapad-2021”.

Political analysts say Russia’s military maneuvers were aimed at intimidating Ukraine, but the Kremlin is not ready to engage in an open armed conflict with Kiev.

Significantly, Shoiigu’s announcement of the withdrawal was made the day after Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the annual address to members of the Russian parliament. In his speech he is at all did not mention the current tensions in relations with Ukraine, but expressed the opinion that the expulsion of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych loyal to Moscow in 2014 should be considered a “coup d’etat”.

CONTEXT:

In recent weeks, there have been concerns about the situation in Eastern Ukraine significantly increased. At the end of March, Ukraine reported that Russia was concentrating its troops on the Ukrainian border and that Moscow-backed separatist militants were constantly violating last year’s ceasefire agreement.

In the spring of 2014, a conflict began in the eastern part of Ukraine. Soon after the Crimean Autonomous Region of Ukraine annexed by Russia. In February 2015 in Minsk with the participation of the leaders of Germany and France, as well as the President of Russia agreement has been reached on 13 points in the peace plan, which provided for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the line of conflict between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists. Since then, both sides in the conflict have reported violations of the ceasefire from time to time.

–