The Pentagon said Tuesday there still are no indications that Russia is withdrawing its soldiers from the Ukraine border, despite Moscow's assertion that the order to return to home bases has been given. Chief Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby told reporters that small numbers of Russian soldiers have gone back and forth to forward operating bases that have been established near the border. For the second consecutive day, Kirby said Washington has seen no movement of Russian forces back to their home bases, and that there still are tens of thousands of Russian soldiers along the border. One day after the Kremlin announced a withdrawal order, the Russian Defense Ministry said army units were dismantling camps in the border region and preparing to leave. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) estimates that Russia has 40,000 soldiers along the border. Any withdrawal activity, if confirmed, would ease concerns that Moscow was positioned to invade eastern Ukraine.
