Russian troops may be slowly pulling back from Ukraine border: NATO

Russian troops may be slowly pulling back from near the Ukraine border, although the bulk of the force remains close to the frontier for now, a NATO military officer said on Tuesday.

"NATO has observed some continued Russian troop activity in the vicinity of the border with Ukraine over the past days. There is some evidence of equipment and supplies being packed or prepared for movement in certain locations," the officer said.

"The activity we are observing at present could suggest a slow or staged withdrawal of forces. At present, the bulk of the previously deployed Russian force remains in the vicinity of the border," the officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.

(Reporting by Adrian Croft; editing by Jan Strupczewski)