Russia has stepped up its shake-up in Eastern Europe and the Arctic, an action that has alerted the Biden administration.
In the last two weeks, Moscow has moved to test Washington and its allies on land, air and sea with an accumulation of military equipment in eastern Ukraine, military flights near the airspace of Alaska and underwater activity in the Arctic.
“I think we have been very clear about the threats we see from Russia in all areas. … We are taking them very, very seriously,” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said Wednesday.
The Department of Defense is too observant of Russian activity after resuming fighting between Moscow-backed separatists and Ukrainian soldiers in eastern Ukraine, ending the ceasefire the two groups waged in the summer. past.
Twenty Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in skirmishes since early 2021.
The two sides have been fighting since 2014, when Moscow hijacked and annexed Crimea to Ukraine, a conflict that Kyiv says has killed 14,000 people since its inception.
Russian planes and bombers have also frequently flown near Allied airspace, forcing NATO planes to respond only ten times on Monday.
In addition, in late March, three Russian nuclear ballistic missile submarines simultaneously broke several feet of ice in the Arctic in a military drill, a maneuver that comes as the Kremlin has moved to elevate its defenses to the Arctic.
Russia’s aggressive actions have caused the US European Command to raise its alert status to the highest level, and activity in Ukraine in particular has boosted Biden’s top national security leaders in call their Ukrainian counterparts and other leaders in the region.
No set of chiefs of staff president general. Mark Milley
Mark Milley PERSONAL DEFENSE Capitol Security Biden promotes women nominated for general women on International Women’s Day The United States is on the side of the Saudis after the MOST attacks are “hateful” by the Houthi On Wednesday, he spoke by telephone with Ukraine’s chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Ruslan Khomchak, as well as Russia’s top official, General Valery Gerasimov.
A day later, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin
Lloyd Austin Night Defense: 1 officer killed, 1 injured after car crashes into Capitol barrier Army suspends several service members for sexual assault allegations Army suspends several service members after student says she was sexually assaulted. Biden says the cabinet “looks like the United States” at the first MORE meeting he called on his Ukrainian counterpart, Defense Minister Andriy Taran, to “discuss the regional security situation” and condemn “the recent escalations of aggressive and provocative Russian actions in eastern Ukraine,” according to Kirby.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan
Jake SullivanUS meets with South Korea and Japan to discuss North Korea’s approach. The conflict in Ethiopia creates openness for WHO reform PENDING DEFENSE: The Pentagon reveals policies that reverse Trump’s transgender ban. US military agent calls on Russia and Ukraine for “concerns” over troop accumulation MORE last week he also spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, as did the secretary of state Anthony Blink
Antony BlinkenKerry says the United States hopes it can work with China on the climate. Blinken overturns Trump Biden sanctions on ICC officials imposed by Trump Biden for first time with Ukrainian president, who said he discussed “ways to strengthen security cooperation” with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
All leaders have promised that Washington would stand by Kiev.
But Russia warned NATO on Friday to deploy troops to Ukraine, threatening that such actions would increase tensions and that Moscow would be forced to respond.
“There is no doubt that this scenario would lead to a further increase in tensions near Russia’s borders. Of course, this would require additional measures on the part of the Russian side to ensure its security, “Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told spokesmen on Friday.
The head of the U.S. Northern Command, Air Force General Glen VanHerck, said the stance is due to the fact that the United States and Russia are once again having “great power competition,” as well as during the Cold War.
“Clearly, Russia is trying to reaffirm on a global stage its influence and capabilities,” VanHerck told reporters on Wednesday.
“The difference between the past and the present is that interceptions are more complex (multi-access, cross-platform) and will often enter [air defense identification zone] and stay for hours, ”he added.
In 2020, the U.S. Aerospace Defense Command, which is tasked with defending U.S. airspace, responded to more Russian military flights off the coast of Alaska than in any year since the end of the Cold War. .
Moscow’s belligerent stance appears to have continued until 2021, giving President Biden
Joe Biden Lawyers say solving the border crisis is the job of Biden Trump calls for Republicans to boycott companies amid controversy over White House voting law: Republican Party has “fought to articulate a reason” to oppose -se in the MORE infrastructure plan a foreign policy challenge in the early days of his administration.
Last month, when asked if he thought he was Russian president Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich PutinBiden maintains first phone call with Ukrainian President Meghan McCain, criticizes Biden for lack of action against Russia, Navalny, Putin critic, Navalny starts hunger strike in prison to receive proper medical treatment MONTH he was a “killer” Biden replied, “I do.” adding that the Russian leader will “pay a price” for the country’s influence operation aimed at the 2020 elections and other cyberattacks.
Back up your tough stance, Biden another $ 125 million was approved in late February value of security aid to Ukraine to defend its borders against Russia. The money adds to the more than $ 2 billion in lethal aid the U.S. government has sent to the country since the annexation of Crimea.
It remains to be seen whether fighting intensifies in eastern Ukraine or how NATO would respond, but the Pentagon has made it clear it is on alert.
“We are monitoring the situation with respect to Ukrainian military reports of Russian military locations and forces along the border … very, very closely,” Kirby said Thursday.
“We are certainly asking the Russians to be more transparent about what it is about, but we have learned from bitter history not to take into account the Russian claims of their intentions,” he added.