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| Ukraine crisis: Russia troop reduction on border welcomed | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Germany's Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has welcomed a "slight reduction" in the number of Russian troops along Ukraine's border. | Germany's Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has welcomed a "slight reduction" in the number of Russian troops along Ukraine's border. |
| The Russian defence ministry said one motorised infantry battalion was withdrawing from the Rostov region. | The Russian defence ministry said one motorised infantry battalion was withdrawing from the Rostov region. |
| After a meeting with his French and Polish counterparts, Mr Steinmeier said it was a "small signal" that the situation was becoming less tense. | After a meeting with his French and Polish counterparts, Mr Steinmeier said it was a "small signal" that the situation was becoming less tense. |
| Thousands of Russian soldiers are still said to be deployed along the border. | Thousands of Russian soldiers are still said to be deployed along the border. |
| Earlier, Ukraine condemned a visit to Crimea by Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and a delegation of government ministers. | Earlier, Ukraine condemned a visit to Crimea by Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and a delegation of government ministers. |
| A foreign ministry spokesman in Kiev said the highest-level trip to the Black Sea peninsula by officials from Moscow since its annexation by Russia was a "crude violation" of international rules. | A foreign ministry spokesman in Kiev said the highest-level trip to the Black Sea peninsula by officials from Moscow since its annexation by Russia was a "crude violation" of international rules. |
| A note protesting against the presence of an official in "the territory of another state without preliminary agreement" had been sent, he added. | A note protesting against the presence of an official in "the territory of another state without preliminary agreement" had been sent, he added. |
| Crimeans voted to leave Ukraine for Russia on 16 March, in a referendum condemned as illegal by the UN General Assembly. | |
| Mr Medvedev announced that he would make Crimea a special economic zone. He also vowed to quickly boost salaries and pensions, and to improve education, healthcare and local infrastructure. | Mr Medvedev announced that he would make Crimea a special economic zone. He also vowed to quickly boost salaries and pensions, and to improve education, healthcare and local infrastructure. |
| 'Calmed down' | |
| Russia's decision to annex Crimea has triggered a crisis in relations with the West. | |
| The United States and the European Union have imposed sanctions on members of President Vladimir Putin's inner circle and other officials. Russia has retaliated with its own sanctions on US lawmakers. | |
| US Secretary of State John Kerry told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, on Sunday that resolving the crisis depended on Russia pulling back its troops from along its border with Ukraine. | |
| On Monday afternoon, Germany's foreign minister said there had been a "slight" reduction. | |
| "I hope we have overcome the worst escalation," Mr Steinmeier told a news conference in Berlin. | |
| "Only today there was news that the massive build-up of Russian forces on the east Ukraine border had been slightly reduced. That seems to be a small signal that the situation is becoming less tense." | |
| Earlier, the Russian defence ministry press service said a 15th Separate Motor-Rifle Brigade battalion had completed field exercises at the Kadamovsky range in the Rostov region, and was returning to its permanent base in the Samara region. | |
| A motor-rifle battalion is believed to comprise about 500 men. | |
| A Ukrainian defence ministry official, Maj-Gen Oleksandr Rozmaznin, meanwhile said the number of Russian troops along its eastern border had dropped by as many as 10,000, but noted that it might be the result of a rotation of conscripts rather than a planned withdrawal. | |
| "The number has definitely dropped and it has calmed down. We won't rejoice and shout 'Hurray'. It doesn't matter how many of them there are, we just need to make sure our defences are strong," he was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying. | |
| Sources at Nato said there had been some indications of troop movements, but that it was hard to evaluate their significance at this stage, reports the BBC's Jonathan Marcus in Brussels. | |
| A senior Western diplomat said approximately 40,000 soldiers were in place, and that they still offered a huge potential for intimidation. | |
| On Tuesday, Nato foreign ministers will meet in Brussels to discuss further steps to reassure allies and additional ways to help Ukraine. |