Russia orders troop pullback, but keeps weapons near Ukraine

Russia's defense minister on Thursday ordered troops back to their permanent bases following massive drills amid tensions with Ukraine, but said that they should leave their weapons behind in western Russia for another exercise later this year.

After watching the drills, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu declared the maneuvers in Crimea and wide swathes of western Russia over and ordered the military to pull the troops that took part in them back to their permanent bases. Russian paratroopers load into a plane for airborne drills during maneuvers in Taganrog, Russia, Thursday, April 22, 2021. Russia's defense minister on Thursday ordered troops back to their permanent bases following massive drills amid tensions with Ukraine, but said that they should leave their weapons behind in western Russia for another exercise later this year. (AP Photo)(AP Photo) This handout photo released on Thursday, April 22, 2021 by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service shows, Russian military vehicles move during drills in Crimea. The Russian military is conducting massive drills in Crimea involving dozens of navy ships and thousands of troops in a show of force amid tensions with Ukraine. The maneuvers were described as the largest since Russia annexed Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula in 2014 and threw its weight behind separatist insurgents in eastern Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)(Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP) This photo released on Thursday, April 22, 2021 by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, shows Russian military vehicles preparing for loading into a plane for airborne drills during maneuvers in Crimea. The Russian military is conducting massive drills in Crimea involving dozens of navy ships and thousands of troops in a show of force amid tensions with Ukraine. The maneuvers were described as the largest since Russia annexed Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula in 2014 and threw its weight behind separatist insurgents in eastern Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)(Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP) This photo released on Thursday, April 22, 2021 by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, shows a Russian military vehicle preparing to be loaded into a plane for airborne drills during maneuvers in Crimea. The Russian military is conducting massive drills in Crimea involving dozens of navy ships and thousands of troops in a show of force amid tensions with Ukraine. The maneuvers were described as the largest since Russia annexed Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula in 2014 and threw its weight behind separatist insurgents in eastern Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)(AP Photo) "I consider the goals of the snap check of readiness fulfilled," Shoigu said. "The troops have shown their capability to defend the country and I decided to complete the drills in the South and Western military districts." Shoigu said the troops should return to their bases by May 1, but he ordered to keep the heavy weapons deployed to western Russia as part of the drills for another massive military exercise later this year.