Merkel: Putin allocates troops from the Ukrainian border

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the “partially withdraw” Russian troops from the border with Ukraine, the press service of the German government reports . This became known during a telephone conversation between Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"The parties also discussed possible further steps to stabilize the situation in Ukraine and Transnistria (Moldova)," the report says. Putin and Merkel also agreed to continue bilateral contacts at various levels on these topics.

The Kremlin’s press service of the Kremlin is not mentioned in the press service of the Kremlin. It is noted that Putin emphasized the importance of conducting constitutional reform in Ukraine, "focused on ensuring the legitimate interests of residents of all Ukrainian regions." When exchanging views on Transnistria, Putin announced the need to remove the "actual external blockade of this region."

On Monday evening, the Russian Ministry of Defense press service reported the return of the battalion of the 15th separate motorized rifle brigade of the Central Military District to the place of permanent deployment in the Samara region. The battalion was in the Rostov region for a month and was engaged in combat training.

On Sunday, the director of the Kiev NPO "Center for Military-Political Research" Dmitry Tymchuk said thatRussia sharply reduced the number of troops on the border with Ukraine . According to him, the number of armed groups reduced to 10 thousand military personnel. Two more days earlier, American intelligence and sources in the European Union estimated its number of 30-50 thousand people.

Later on Sunday, Paris was a meeting of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry . At a press conference, after the negotiations, Kerry, in particular, emphasized that any progress in the de-escalation of the conflict is impossible without the withdrawal of the Russian armed forces from the borders of Ukraine. “We believe that these forces create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation in Ukraine,” Kerry said.

On Saturday, Lavrov announcedthe lack of plans in Russia to cross the boundaries of Ukraine . “We have absolutely no intention and interests to cross the boundaries of Ukraine. We only really want the work to be collective, and so that the atrocities that the Western countries are trying to replace the carpet and present the situation in gracious tones and colors, to be aware of their responsibility,” Lavrov said in an interview with the program “News on Saturday”.