Ukraine in Arabic | Russian troops are moving away from Ukraine
KYIV/Ukraine in Arabic/ Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to retreat from the border with Ukraine.
Around 17,000 soldiers had been carrying out exercises in the Rostov region. They will now return to their permanent bases.
Russia has previously announced troop withdrawals that NATO and the US say were not actually carried out.
Russia has been accused of supplying troops and weapons to separatist rebels in east Ukraine - claims it denies.
The latest order comes ahead of a planned meeting between Mr. Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Friday.
Ukrainian troops have been fighting pro-Russia rebels in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk since April, in a conflict that has killed more than 3,500 people.
The two sides agreed a truce on 5 September, but fighting has continued, especially in and around Donetsk.
"Mr. Putin has ordered to start the returning of troops to regular station," presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Mr. Peskov said this was because the period of training was completed.
Mr. Putin made similar statements about withdrawing troops from the Ukrainian border in March and May.
However, NATO and US officials said they saw no evidence of soldiers being moved.
Correspondents say the deployment of Russian troops on Ukraine's border is seen as a powerful tool designed to threaten the government in Kiev.
Difficult talks
Meanwhile, Mr. Putin and Mr. Poroshenko are expected to meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Italy on Friday.
Mr. Poroshenko told reporters: "I don't expect the talks will be easy."
"Russia's role in the issue of providing peace... is difficult to overestimate," he added.
Mr. Poroshenko said he also hoped to discuss Russia and Ukraine's gas pricing dispute.
Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine in June, saying the Kiev government had not settled its debts.
Ukraine could face gas shortages in the winter if the dispute is not resolved.
bbc.com