Putin Orders Troops Back From Ukraine Border

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his defense minister to move troops currently near Ukraine's border "back to their permanent bases," according to the Kremlin. Talks on Ukraine's fragile truce are due soon. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said overnight on Saturday that the Russian president had ordered Russian troops back to their permanent bases following military exercises in the Rostov region near Ukraine's border, after meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoiyu. "The minister had reported to the Supreme Commander about the completion of the summer period of training on shooting ranges of the southern military district," Peskov said. "After the report, Putin ordered to launch the return of the troops to their permanent bases... In total, these are 17,600 military servicemen who were trained on the shooting ranges of Rostov region in summer."