Kremlin says troop pullback takes time, in rebuff of U.S. scepticism

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends an annual end-of-year news conference of Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Moscow, Russia, December 23, 2021. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Thursday rejected what it called "unfounded accusations" by the United States and NATO that it was not withdrawing its forces from near Russia's border with Ukraine, saying it takes time to wind down military exercises.

Moscow announced on Tuesday a partial force pullback, easing Western fears of a looming invasion of Ukraine, but the United States and NATO said on Wednesday the Russian military presence there was actually growing, not diminishing.