Under pressure Putin calls back Russian troops from Ukraine border

Moscow, March 4: After severe pressure from Western countries including

and UK,

reportedly called back the Russian troops from

border. According to media reports, Putin's decision surfaced at the early morning of Tuesday, March 4.

The Russian troops have been called back to their usual station or permanent base, informed the Russian President's spokesman Dmitry Peskov. However, the leaders downplayed pressure from the Western countries while dealing with the threat that Russia could face sanctions for taking control of Ukraine's southern Crimea region.

Russian leaders downplayed pressure from Western countries including US, Britain

The spokesman was quoted as saying, "The supreme commander of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, gave the order for the troops and units, taking part in the military exercises, to return to their bases."

While British PM David Cameron said that the West would use "diplomatic, political and economic pressures" on Moscow, US President Barack Obama said that Russia was on the "wrong side of history". Recently, Obama put US-Russia military-to-military engagement to hold temporarily.

Spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby was quoted as saying, "We have, in light of recent events in Ukraine, put on hold all military-to-military engagements between the United States and Russia."

He also added, "We call on Russia to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine and for Russian forces in Crimea to return to their bases, as required under the agreements governing the Russia Black Sea Fleet."

OneIndia News