The U.S. said as many as 7,000 Russian troops have been added to the more than 100,000 already near Ukraine’s borders, rejecting Russian statements that it has begun drawing down some forces.
The remarks by U.S. officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, followed comments earlier by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that there’s no proof of de-escalation and that Russia appeared to be continuing its military build-up. The Kremlin denied the claim and earlier Wednesday said that more troops were returning to their bases after maneuvers ended in Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
