WASHINGTON,Feb 17,2022:The United States does not believe Russia’s claim to be withdrawing troops from the Ukraine border and suspects Moscow has increased its presence by as many as 7,000 troops, a senior Biden administration official said on Wednesday.
The senior administration official also said Russia has publicly claimed to engage in diplomacy and made claims of “de-escalation” while “privately mobilizing for war.”
Russia’s defense ministry said Wednesday its forces were pulling back after exercises near Ukraine and published video that it said showed forces leaving the Crimean peninsula.
But U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview on MSNBC on Wednesday that “critical units” were moving towards the border.
