WASHINGTON, October 13 (RIA Novosti) – A senior US administration official has refused to comment on the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Rostov Region and possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
"We continue to call on Russia to fulfill all of its obligations under the Minsk agreements," the official told RIA Novosti.
Earlier on Sunday, the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry said that Southern Military District troops were returning to their permanent bases after drills in the Rostov Region that borders southeastern Ukraine. The total of 17,600 troops are said to have taken part in the drills.
The Rostov Region in Russia is one of the regions that saw a great influx of refugees from the war-torn southeastern Ukrainian regions. In mid-April, the Kiev government launched a military operation in eastern Ukraine, trying to suppress independence supporters.
On September 5, a ceasefire agreement was reached between the warring sides. On September 19, a memorandum, specifying the steps for the truce implementation was adopted.
The United States and the European Union have accused Russia of meddling in Ukraine's internal affairs and escalating the crisis, but Moscow has repeatedly denied these allegations.
