Russia's defense ministry said on Friday it had begun returning troops from Crimea to their permanent bases after they took part in military exercises, the TASS news agency reported.

"I believe that the surprise inspection's goals have been achieved in full. The troops demonstrated ability to reliably defend the country. Therefore, I have made a decision to complete the inspection measures in the Southern and Western Military Districts," the defense chief was quoted as saying at a meeting in Crimea on the results of the operations of the troops of the Southern Military District and the Airborne Force.

Starting from Friday, military units and formations are currently marching to railway loading stations and airfields and loading onto landing ships, railway platforms and military transport aircraft. They are going to return to their permanent stations, according to the ministry statement.

Russia announced on Thursday it was ordering troops back to base from the area near the border with Ukraine after weeks of tension over the border between Moscow and Kiev.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he is willing to discuss bilateral relations with his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky in Moscow at any time convenient for the Ukrainian leader, TASS reported.

The comments were made during talks with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Zelensky proposed earlier to the Russian president to hold a meeting in Donbass, according to TASS.

(Cover: Service members of the Russian airborne forces line up during drills at a military aerodrome in the Azov Sea port of Taganrog, Russia, April 22, 2021. /Reuters)