U.S.: Russia has pulled the 'majority' of its troops from the Ukraine border

U.S.: Russia has pulled the &#039;majority&#039; of its troops from the Ukraine border — (Image credit: DREW ANGERER/Getty Images)

Russia has pulled "the majority" of the 40,000 troops it had amassed near the Ukraine border, a U.S. senior defense official said Friday. "But seven battalions remain," meaning thousands of troops are still amassed across the border.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called the move — which Moscow promised weeks ago — a good start. "Any time you are moving troops away and equipment and assets away, that's promising," he told reporters en route to Singapore for a security conference, "but they are not where they need to be and won't be until all of their troops that they positioned along that border a couple of months ago are gone."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.