Russia labels reports on troop movements in Ukraine ‘provocation’

Russia’s Ministry of Defence has called the publication by media about a regrouping of its troops in Ukraine a “provocation”.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence has called the publication by media about a regrouping of its troops in Ukraine a “provocation”.

The ministry said that the reports by two state news agencies on Monday, discussing Russian troop movements in Ukraine, were “false”. The reports were quickly withdrawn after publication.

“The transmission of a false report about the “regrouping” of troops in the Dnipro area, allegedly on behalf of the Russian Defence Ministry’s press centre, is a provocation,” the ministry said, according to the RBC news outlet.

The reports, by the RIA Novosti and TASS agencies, had said that Russian troops were being moved to “more favourable positions” east of the Dnipro River in Ukraine.

The Kremlin’s spokesperson declined to comment on the incident, which has been flagged as illustrating disarray among the military establishment regarding media work, saying it was a matter for the military.