West warned 'don't drop your guard' over Russian 'withdrawal' in Ukraine

Western leaders have been warned against dropping their guard after Russia announced yesterday it intends to 'fundamentally scale back' military operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv.

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace quickly slapped down the claims of a withdrawal, declaring: 'Russia must think we were born yesterday. Putin wants to crush Ukraine, it's what he's said.' 

Wallace, speaking in Norway where he is visiting troops at Bardufoss - a cold weather training base for Royal Air Force, British Army and Royal Navy helicopter crews - told The Sun: 'I think the Russians are looking for an off-ramp but they're trying to package their position of weakness as a position of strength.