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Russian troops to return to permanent bases after drills on Ukraine border

Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov says it will take a few days for all troops to return to their permanent bases
Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov ITAR-TASS/Yuri Mashkov
Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov
© ITAR-TASS/Yuri Mashkov

LONDON, May 20. /ITAR-TASS/. Military units of Russian Armed Forces are returning to permanent bases after war games in regions bordering Ukraine, Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said in an interview with BBC on Tuesday.

“It seems to me that several days will be enough,” Antonov told BBC in reply to a journalist’s question on how much time the return of Russian troops to permanent bases might take. “If you ask me, when we will begin this process, I want to confirm openly that it has already started right after an order of our president,” he said.

On May 19, the Kremlin stated that Russian President and Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin gave an order to bring back troops to their permanent bases after war games in Rostov-on-Don, Belgorod and Bryansk regions.

“Due to the end of planned spring stage of military training that envisaged their redeployment and passed at firing ranges in Rostov-on-Don, Belgorod and Bryansk regions the Russian president gave an order to Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu to bring back troops that participated in military exercises to permanent bases and to continue combat training at neighbouring fire ranges,” the Kremlin press service said.