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The US European command has increased its readiness to the highest level after the resumption of fighting between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian soldiers, Politico writes, News.bg reported.
The Pentagon is on alert as Russia steps up its operations in Eastern Europe and the Arctic this week, posing a new challenge for the Biden administration, military officials said. The resumption of fighting between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine marks the end of the ceasefire in June 2020, and Russian forces have begun amassing military equipment in border. NATO jets took off 10 times on Monday alone to respond to an unusually large number of Russian fighter jets and bombers flying near Allied airspace. Last week, three nuclear-armed Russian submarines broke through several meters of ice in the Arctic, a new show of force in the region where US forces are being challenged to arrive.
General Glenn VanHerk, head of the US Northern Command, responsible for the country’s defense, acknowledged the increase in Russian aggression and cited Moscow’s efforts to “restore its influence on the world stage.” In particular, Russian air interceptions are more complex today than in the past, VanHerk said, noting that operations often involve multiple access points and more than one aircraft staying in the area longer. Captain Wendy Schneider, a spokeswoman for the European Command, declined to discuss the command’s monitoring levels, citing operational security, but noted that “we are monitoring the situation very closely.”
The recent surge in activity poses a new challenge to the new administration’s foreign policy, even as the president vows to take a tougher line with Russia than former President Donald Trump, whose relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin has resulted in to accusations that he is soft. Moscow. President Joe Biden has already signaled his toughest stance, describing Putin as a “murderer” and vowing to hold Russia accountable for recent attacks, including an attack that compromised Texas-based software Solarwinds Corp., which affected at least 100 US companies and nine federal agencies. . Biden recently approved another $ 125 million in arms aid to Ukraine to protect its borders with Russia, including two armed patrol boats and a counter-artillery radar. The United States has committed more than $ 2 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since 2014, including the provision of Javelin anti-tank missiles.
Biden has a long history of advocating support for Ukraine, especially after Russia invaded Crimea in 2014. As vice president and envoy of the Obama administration in Kiev, Biden visited the country six times and spent hours in phone conversations with his leaders. He also spearheaded efforts to send US forces to train Ukrainian fighters and urged senior officials to root out corruption, his advisers told Politico in an interview last year. Pentagon leaders have expressed concern to NATO allies about the resumption of fighting in Eastern Europe and the increase in Russian forces, spokesman John Kirby said. “Obviously, we don’t want to see any more rapes on Ukrainian soil,” Kirby said. “We were very clear about the threats that we see from Russia in different regions … we take them very seriously.” Kirby commented that he was not aware of any interaction between Russian and American forces in Eastern Europe.
General Mark Millie, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed the security situation by phone with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, according to a statement from his office. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he had discussed “ways to strengthen security cooperation” with Secretary of State Anthony Blinkon. “I had a productive and focused conversation with Blinkon as Russia continues to systematically worsen the security situation in eastern Ukraine and Crimea,” Kuleba wrote on Twitter. Earlier this week, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan “reaffirmed America’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in a telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart,” Kirby explained.
USA
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