Home Business News8,500 US troops on standby for potential deployment over the imminent Russian invasion of the Ukraine

8,500 US troops on standby for potential deployment over the imminent Russian invasion of the Ukraine

by LLB staff reporter
25th Jan 22 11:06 am

The US military has put 8,500 troops on standby for possible deployment to Eastern Europe as Russia prepares to invade the Ukraine.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said troops are now on โ€œheightened alertโ€ and will be deployed if required to assist NATO if Russia does invade the Ukraine.

โ€œI want to reinforce that as of now, the decision has been made to put these units on higher alert and higher alert only. Kirby said.

โ€œNo decisions have been made to deploy forces from the United States at this time.โ€

NATO can activate a โ€œNATO response forceโ€ (NRF) which would hold around 40,000 troops and would be considered โ€œground forcesโ€ should Russia invade the Ukraine.

US troops could also be on standby to evacuate thousands of their citizens in the Ukraine, officials have confirmed, and US troops are prepared to move into Eastern Europe within 18 to 36 hours.

Kirby added, โ€œWhat this is about is reassurance to our NATO allies,โ€ and that no troops are intended for deployment to Ukraine.

โ€œWeโ€™ve always said we would reinforce our allies on the eastern flank, and those conversations and discussions have certainly been part of what our national security officials have been discussing with their counterparts now for several weeks,โ€ said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

Leave a Comment

You may also like

CLOSE AD

Sign up to our daily news alerts

[ms-form id=1]