WASHINGTON, Dec 29 - The US Air Force flew a reconnaissance mission this week over eastern Ukraine to gather intelligence about the situation on the ground -- two days after Russia announced it would withdraw 10,000 troops from its border with that nation, CNN reported.

Monday's flight was the first time an E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) aircraft has flown over the region, according to Lt. Cmdr. Russ Wolfkiel, a spokesman for US European Command.