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Stoltenberg: Russia's land combat forces were now concentrated near the Ukrainian borders

17 February 2022 16:42 (UTC +04:00)

NATO said on Thursday that it still sees no drawdown of Russian troops from near the Ukrainian border, two days after Moscow announced it would reduce its presence there, raising hopes of detente in a tense situation, APA reports.

"There are signs from Moscow that diplomacy could continue, but so far we have not seen any sign of withdrawal or de-escalation," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at defense ministers' talks in Brussels.

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said that nearly 60% of Russia's land combat forces were now concentrated near the Ukrainian borders, 150,000 or more in real terms. Russia has been amassing soldiers and equipment there for several months, prompting fears in Kyiv and other Western capitals that plans for an invasion could be afoot.