UKRAINE (Washington Insider Magazine) – According to a defense official and a senior government official, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin informed President Joe Biden this Saturday regarding U.S. strategies for striking if Russia infiltrates Ukraine, as well as possibilities for U.S. troops movements in advance of an attack.
The State Department recently ordered families of embassy staff in Kyiv to depart Sunday and authorized non-emergency embassy personnel in Ukraine to leave while Biden assessed his options.
It also advised Americans to not travel to Russia or Ukraine, stressing the risk of Russian military action as well as the potential for harassment of foreigners throughout Russia, according to a department official.
Bomber aircraft over the region, ship excursions into the Black Sea, and the movement of troops and weapons from various regions of Europe into Poland, Romania, and other countries bordering Ukraine were among the alternatives proposed to the US forces in advance of an invasion.
According to the officials, Austin proposed ideas to reassure NATO partners and strengthen their defenses, particularly those of nations bordering Ukraine. The purpose, according to the officials, is to demonstrate NATO’s unity and power while also deterring Russian action against friends in the region.
According to the defense official and the senior administration official, Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters, the commander of US European Command and supreme allied commander Europe, has been planning alternatives for weeks. Wolters has the power to shift certain forces throughout his theater, but given the gravity of the issue, authorities say he is keeping Austin and top generals updated.
The latest intelligence suggesting the Russian forces have not ceased building up forces surrounding Ukraine was included in the briefing for Biden, according to officials.
According to another defense official, Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to deploy more military units and flow forces to Ukraine’s border territories. The defense official stated He’s getting stronger by the day.
Officials did not say if Biden had given his approval to any of the moves. Some soldiers and assets may be shifted in the coming days, according to the senior administration official.
The US military and NATO will kick out Exercise Neptune Strike ’22 on Monday, which will entail training alongside NATO allies for military capabilities that may be deployed against Russia. The USS Harry S. Truman carrier battle group will undertake long-range attack and anti-submarine combat training from the Mediterranean as part of the exercise, according to NBC News.
