Russia pulls back troops from Ukraine border

The United States and other Western nations protested when Russia started sending large numbers of troops to the border with Ukraine. On Thursday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that the military had finished conducting drills and troops would return to their permanent bases by May 1 while leaving heavy weapons in the area for future exercises. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the shift but said the country will remain vigilant.

Is Ukraine in danger? In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, which was part of Ukraine. In recent years, Russia has backed rebels attempting to destabilize Ukraine’s government and occupied the eastern Donbass territory, forcing the smaller nation to maintain a line of troops in the area. The recent buildup put Ukraine on edge: The Russian defense ministry reported the military exercises involved more than 60 ships, more than 10,000 troops, nearly 200 aircraft, and about 1,200 military vehicles.

Dig deeper: Read Mindy Belz’s column in WORLD Magazine on the disputed region of Donbass in Ukraine.