President Joe Biden has ordered the deployment of an additional 3,000 U.S. soldiers to NATO ally Poland as fears grow that a crisis between Ukraine and Russia may turn into a military conflict.
A statement from the Pentagon on February 11 said the troops should be in place by "early next week," joining some 1,700 soldiers who arrived in Poland at the start of the month.
"All told, these 5,000 additional personnel comprise a highly mobile and flexible force, capable of multiple missions. They are being deployed to reassure our NATO allies, deter any potential aggression against NATO’s eastern flank, train with host-nation forces, and contribute to a wide range of contingencies," the Pentagon statement said.
Earlier on February 11, White House national-security adviser Jake Sullivan said Russia now has enough forces at its border with Ukraine to conduct a major military operation, adding that if a Russian attack on Ukraine proceeds, “it is likely to begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks that could obviously kill civilians."
Russia has denied that its buildup of more than 100,000 soldiers and military hardware in areas near the border with Ukraine is a prelude to a new invasion of the former Soviet republic.
Moscow denies Western accusations it may be planning an invasion, saying it has the right to station troops anywhere it wants on Russian soil.
