MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The southern and western military units of Russia have started returning troops to their places of permanent deployment after drills, Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Tuesday.

The spokesman also said that drills involving nearly all districts and the Russian Navy continue.

The ministry additionally published a video of the military vehicles loading for return to their bases. This includes tanks, AMPVs, as well as self-propelled howitzers. The military also posted a clip showing Т-72Bz tanks leaving the site of the drills.

Commenting on the redeployment of troops, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted it is a regular movement, and there is "nothing new", despite the media coverage.

The troops and military equipment are leaving the southern border - the border with Ukraine - amid growing tensions in the region, since Washington, London, and Kiev claimed that Russia is planning "an invasion" of Ukraine. Russia blasted the allegations, stressing that the whole "invasion" narrative is fake and noting it is just a pretext for NATO to deploy more troops and military equipment close to the Russian border.

At the same time, Moscow says that the media hype about the "military buildup" is meant to conceal provocations planned by the other side.