McDaniel Wicker, vice president for strategy at Babel Street, told
Defense One. "Analysts using Babel Street tools have not seen any indication outside of Russian media and then Russian media derived information to substantiate Russian troop withdrawals."
Lauren Speranza, director of the Transatlantic Defense and Security program at the Center for European Policy Analysis, said, “The satellite images indicate Russia is putting in place the final pieces they would want to have there to support an invasion. So we need to verify the facts on the ground before taking the Kremlin at its word.”
Speranza said Russia made
similar claims of withdrawal and de-escalation last spring after a military buildup. “In practice, it only withdrew some elements, while keeping others in place or nearby. Putin could be strategically positioning to allow another short-notice build-up or incursion a few months down the line