U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin considers that the buildup of Russian forces along Ukraine’s border provides Putin with a complete range of military options, including a full-scale invasion.
“While we don’t believe that President Putin has made a final decision to use these forces against Ukraine, he clearly now has the capability,” U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told a Pentagon news conference on January 28, AP reports.
Austin said Putin could use any portion of his force of an estimated 100,000 troops to seize Ukrainian cities and “significant territories” or to carry out “coercive acts or provocative political acts” like the recognition of already occupied Ukrainian territories.
Austin spoke alongside Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Milley noted that there were not only ground troops and naval and air forces near Ukraine’s border, but also cyber and electronic warfare capabilities, as well as special operations forces.
“If Russia chooses to invade Ukraine, it will not be cost-free, in terms of casualties and other significant effects,” Milley said, noting that Ukraine’s armed forces are more capable today than in 2014.
© 2022 Ukrinform News
The 101st Airborne Air Assault crew at Fort Campbell has been ordered to prepare for a possible deployment, according to a Pentagon announcement Thursday.
https://news.yahoo.com/pentagon-orders-101st-airborne-air-221412615.html
Nice!
It looks like it’s only for Nato, not for deployment inside Ukraine unfortunately.
It may look that way, but we don’t know yet what their mission and objectives are. I mean we can also be pretty good at lying. 😎
The 82nd is also alerted.
Keep it coming!
Biden and Boris should be asking their commanders one question : “what are our best options for a military response to deter putler?”
The time has come for them both to honour their Budapest obligations in full.
I hope that the Pentagon is assessing things in Ukraine better than in Afghanistan, or rather, that the Bidenov administration will interpret it better.