Ukraine crisis: Vladimir Putin ‘withdraws troops’ from border
Vladimir Putin states Russia has withdrawn its troops from the Ukrainian border in possible breakthrough
Vladimir Putin Photo: MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV /AFP
3:42PM BST 07 May 2014
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President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Moscow had pulled back its
forces from the Ukrainian border amid Western fears of an imminent military
invasion of Russia’s crisis-hit Western neighbour.
“We were told constantly about concerns over our troops near the Ukrainian
border. We have pulled them back. Today they are not at the Ukrainian border
but in places of regular exercises, at training grounds,” he said after
meeting with Swiss president and current OSCE chief Didier Burkhalter.
In what appeared to be a breakthrough in the worst crisis between East and
West since the Cold War, Mr Putin also called on pro-Moscow separatists in
Ukraine to postpone a vote on secession just five days before it was to be
held, potentially pulling Ukraine back from the brink of dismemberment.
It was the first sign the Kremlin leader has given that he would not endorse a
referendum planned for Sunday by pro-Russian rebels seeking independence for
two provinces with 6.5 million people and around a third of Ukraine's
industrial output.
"We call on the representatives of southeastern Ukraine, the supporters of the
federalisation of the country, to postpone the referendum planned for May
11," Putin said.
