Putin Says He’s Pulling Back Some Troops

“President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia had decided ‘to partially pull back troops’ as the Defense Ministry announced that some forces from military districts bordering Ukraine were being sent back to their garrisons, a tentative sign that Russia could be stepping away from the threat of an invasion,” the New York Times reports.

“The announcement was the strongest signal yet that Russia might be trying to de-escalate the military standoff near the Ukrainian border, but it was far from clear that the threat of war had passed.”

Washington Post: “A Western official from a NATO country expressed skepticism of Russia’s claims that some troops were returning to base.”