The United States continues to threaten Russia over the “invasion of Ukraine” despite Moscow withdrawing troops from its eastern border after they completed their role in large-scale military maneuvers Russia is conducting within its borders.

U.S. President Joe Biden has continued his war rhetoric saying “world war two was a war of necessity. But if Russia attacks Ukraine it would be a war of choice”

He says if Russia does invade Ukraine, in the days and weeks ahead “the strategic costs for Russia will be immense”.

Similar remarks have been echoed by some Western countries including the head of NATO.

This is despite, the chief spokesperson for the Russian Defense Ministry, Igor Konashenkov, announcing Russia’s troops near the Ukrainian border are returning to their bases after the completion of their maneuvers.

Konashenkov says “the divisions of the South and West Military Districts have finished their tasks and have already begun loading the rail and automobile transport, and today will begin moving back to their military garrisons”.

It is the first major withdrawal of forces amid mounting tensions with the West. More troops are expected to return to their bases in the coming days as the war games themselves are set to end on February 20.

Since November last year, the U.S. and NATO have been warning about an imminent invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Moscow has strongly dismissed the allegations and instead warned NATO against further expanding eastwards by allowing Ukraine membership in the North Atlantic Alliance, deploying troops, and sending advanced military weapons near Russian borders.

The Russian foreign ministry has pointed to the withdrawal announcement as proof that the West was wrong all along about the invasion.

Writing on social media, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said “15 February 2022 will go down in history as the day Western war propaganda failed,” adding that Russia had “embarrassed” the West “without firing a single shot”.

Konashenkov, says "as the combat training measures are completed, the troops, as always, will return to their points of permanent deployment”

"Separate units will return on their own as part of military columns”.

Speaking at a Press Conference, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov also says that the Russian troop pullout was simply proceeding according to schedule noting “this is happening independently from whatever people are thinking, however, they throw a fit about it, whoever deploys this information terrorism” he added “I won’t shrink from that word. The caravan moves on.”

Lavrov says Moscow will continue its dialogue with the West on security issues and is ready for separate talks on intermediate-range nuclear missiles.

He dismissed reports Russia is planning to invade Ukraine as "information terrorism".

Russian officials have frequently denounced Western intelligence reports and media reports as “hysteria” and “American disinformation”.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also denounced the U.S. and its allies for "playing up the threat of warfare and creating tension". It said, “such persistent hyping up and disinformation by some Western countries will create turbulence and uncertainty to the world full of challenges, and intensify distress and division”.

Moscow has maintained all along that it has the right to choose where it stations it’s troops within Russian territory. It has also proposed security guarantees that the West has oddly enough yet to meet.