In a small press conference on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed there were no Russian troops in Ukraine. However, he maintained that he reserves the right to use military action if needed, and he will do so according to international law.
As far as reports of Russian troops on the ground in the Crimea region, which several journalists have confirmed, Putin denied they were part of his regime, citing the fact that their uniforms were unmarked. According to the Washington Post
“Look at former Soviet republics,” he said, according to the Washington Post's translation. “You can go to a store and buy a uniform. Were these Russian soldiers? No, they’re very well-trained self-defense forces.”
The Russian president claimed that he is not trying to make Crimea a part of Russia, saying that only people who live in Crimea can determine their future.
Putin did, however, say Ukraine's interim president, who replaced the ousted Viktor Yanukovych after he fled the country, unlawfully came into power. In his own news conference last week, Yanukovych expressed a similar sentiment, saying, "I am president of Ukraine, elected by the people of Ukraine [...] and I remain the legitimate president of Ukraine."
Earlier today, Putin pulled back thousands of troops that have been amassing along the Russia-Ukraine border over the past few days, Russian news agency Interfax reported, citing the Kremlin’s press secretary.
Interfax wire drop: pic.twitter.com/sm052mONBK (via @EdConwaySky)
— Fabrizio Goria (@FGoria) March 4, 2014
“According to [Dmitry] Peskov,” the announcement reads, "the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the troops and formations that took part in military exercises, return to their places of permanent deployment."
The military exercises have taken place across western Russia, an area which borders Ukraine, according to Reuters. After days of escalating tensions between Russia, Ukraine and what seemed the entirety of the developed world, Putin's pullback seems like a positive sign, many are still skeptical of Putin's motives as he clearly supports Yanukovych, who asked Putin to intervene last week.
Additionally, the announcement doesn't appear to apply to the masked military troops amassed in Crimea.
"To be clear," Kyiv Post editor and Mashable correspondent Christopher Miller tweeted moments after the announcement hit, "Putin pulling troops conducting exercises in western Russia, but none of the 1000s of Russian troops who are already in #Crimea."
As the news hit, a column of Ukrainian troops at Belbek air force base attempted to bypass a Russian checkpoint, demanding access to their planes. The Russians fired warning shots in return—the first documented case of 'shots fired' between Russian and Ukrainian troops. The video below, which EuroMadian released today, shows the troops firing the shots.

The Russians eventually backed down "allowing 10 Ukraine soldiers to take up positions at occupied base" while awaiting orders from Moscow, TIME's Simon Shuster tweeted from the scene.
Face off between Ukraine base commander Col. Yuli Manchur and Russian officer at occupied Belbek airbase pic.twitter.com/6N10wuezef
— Simon Shuster (@shustry) March 4, 2014
Standoff at Belbek pic.twitter.com/5rrya09pun
— Anshel Pfeffer (@AnshelPfeffer) March 4, 2014