More than 10,000 Russian soldiers are returning to bases after drills near Ukraine – Interfax By Reuters

MOSCOW (Reuters) – More than 10,000 Russian soldiers are returning to their permanent bases after months of exercises near Ukraine, Interfax news agency reported on Saturday, citing the Russian military.

Interfax said the drills were conducted in several regions close to Ukraine, including Russia’s takeover of Crimea in 2014, as well as in the southern Rostov and Cuban regions of Russia.

Russia’s deployment of tens of thousands of troops in northern, eastern and southern Ukraine sparked fears that Moscow was planning an attack on the capitals of Kiev and the West.

Russia rejects such a plan, saying it needs Western commitments – including NATO’s promise not to extend the alliance eastward to Russia’s borders – because its security is threatened by Ukraine’s growing ties with the Western alliance.

Moscow also says it can deploy troops to its territory as it sees fit.

Estimates of the number of Russian troops recently approaching Ukraine range from 60,000 to 90,000, and a U.S. intelligence document suggests that the number could rise to 175,000.

“A stage of coordination of divisions, combat crews, squadrons of motorized units … combat is over. More than 10,000 soldiers … will go from the territory of the field of combined arms to the constant expansion.” Interfax mentioned the army.