Russia says it will withdraw some of its troops from Ukraine border | First Thing

Move could be sign of de-escalation amid fears of invasion but size of withdrawal is unclear. Follow all developments live here. Plus, Sarah Palin's lawsuit against New York Times thrown out

Good morning.

Russia's defence ministry has announced it is to withdraw some of its troops from the border with Ukraine in a possible de-escalation of the threat of a potential invasion.

Is this really a de-escalation? Russia has previously announced the conclusion of military exercises near the Ukrainian border, but social media and satellite photography taken in the following days have not shown considerable changes to Russia's force posture.

Is this any different? It's unclear yet but Russia's rouble currency reportedly posted gains following the announcement, indicating that investors hoped this would mark the beginning of a de-escalation of tensions between Russia and the west.

The findings have renewed calls for greater transparency in the booming private equity industry, so that communities bearing the brunt of toxic emissions and extreme weather can track the money behind the misery.