Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a “partial withdrawal” of troops massed at the border with Eastern Ukraine, although thousands of Russian forces are still in the area.  It comes after Russian officials paid a visit to their newest pals in Crimea.

Berlin says Putin revealed the pullback in a telephone conversation with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Military analysts believe that Russia had as many as 40,000 troops close to Ukraine's eastern border in recent days.  Earlier the Russian defense Ministry said a motorized defense infantry battalion stationed near the Ukrainian border for “training” for a month had begun the journey back to its base.

Earlier, Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and a delegation of government ministers visited Crimea for the first time since the annexation.  That prompted a complaint and condemnation from Kiev, which does not recognize the breakaway territory’s defection to Russia.  Medvedev announced that he would make Crimea a special economic zone, with tax breaks and reduced bureaucracy to attract investors.