Washington: Amidst the Russia-Ukraine crisis, the US has put 8500 soldiers on ‘high alert’. The Pentagon has given this information on Monday. There are reports of increasing military capability in the border areas of Russia-Ukraine. NATO and the US prepare for a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, the Pentagon has also clarified that at present no decision has been taken regarding the deployment of troops.
US Defense Department spokesman John Kirby said during the press briefing that these 8,500 soldiers include brigade combat teams, teams, medical personnel, aviation support, intelligence, surveillance. He said, “No deployment orders have been issued and no missions have been set.” There is no denying the option.
Kirby further said that the possible deployment of additional US forces to Europe in the midst of Ukrainian tensions depends on the decision of NATO. According to the BBC report, some NATO members, including Denmark, Spain, France, and the Netherlands, are considering sending fighter jets and warships to Eastern Europe to strengthen the defense system in the region. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for increased diplomatic efforts and dialogue amid rising tensions along the Ukraine border.
The US and its allies accused Russia of increasing military capability along the shared border and preparing for an attack. After this, Ukraine tensions seem to be increasing for the past several months. However, Moscow denied these allegations. It also mentioned NATO’s military activities near Russian borders, which it considers a threat to its national security.
On Monday, US President Joe Biden held a video call with his European allies. Because Western powers aim for a common strategy against Russian aggression. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macraw, Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg were involved in this video call.
