Russia has increased its saber-rattling in Eastern Europe and the Arctic, a move that has put the Biden government on alert.
In the past two weeks, Moscow has moved to test Washington and its allies on land, in the air and at sea with an accumulation of military equipment in eastern Ukraine, military flights near Alaska airspace and underwater activity in the Arctic.
“I think we were very clear about the threats that we see from Russia in all areas. … We are taking them very, very seriously, ”said Pentagon press secretary John Kirby on Wednesday.
The Defense Department is overly attentive to Russian activities after fighting resumed between Moscow-backed separatists and Ukrainian soldiers in eastern Ukraine, ending the ceasefire that the two groups signed last summer.
Twenty Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the skirmishes since the beginning of 2021.
The two sides have been fighting since 2014, when Moscow seized and annexed Ukraine’s Crimea, a conflict that Kiev claims has killed 14,000 people since its inception.
Russian jets and bombers also fly frequently close to allied airspace, forcing NATO jets to struggle to respond 10 times on Monday alone.
In addition, in late March, three Russian submarines with nuclear ballistic missiles simultaneously broke several meters of ice in the Arctic in a military exercise, a maneuver that occurs when the Kremlin moves to increase its defenses in the Arctic.
Russia’s aggressive actions have prompted the US European Command to raise its alert status to the highest level, and activity in Ukraine, in particular, has taken Biden’s top national security leaders call your Ukrainian counterparts and other leaders in the region.
Chief General of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley
Mark Milley NIGHT DEFENSE: Pentagon unveils policies that reverse Trump’s transgender ban. Top US military officer calls Russia and Ukraine about ‘concerns’ about troop growth Top US military officer calls Russia and Ukraine about ‘concern’ about troop growth Night defense: report calls for radical changes to Capitol Security | Biden praises women nominated general on International Women’s Day | US backs Saudis after ‘heinous’ Houthi attacks MORE on Wednesday he spoke by telephone to the Chief of Staff of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Ruslan Khomchak, as well as to the senior Russian officer, Chief of Staff General Valery Gerasimov.
A day later, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin
Lloyd AustinOvernight Defense: 1 officer killed, 1 injured after car crashed into Capitol barrier | Army suspends several military personnel on allegations of sexual assault Army suspends several military personnel after an intern says she was sexually abused. Biden says Cabinet ‘looks like America’ at first meeting MORE 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 Advisor Jake Sullivan
Jake SullivanUS meets with South Korea and Japan to discuss North Korea’s approach Conflict in Ethiopia creates openness for WHO reform NIGHT DEFENSE: Pentagon reveals policies that reverse Trump’s transgender ban last week he also spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart, as well as the Secretary of State Antony Blinken
Antony BlinkenKerry says the United States hopes to be able to work with China on the climate. Blinken repeals Trump Biden sanctions against ICC officials makes first phone call with Ukrainian President MORE, who said he discussed “ways to strengthen security cooperation” with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
All the leaders promised that Washington would support Kiev.
But Russia on Friday warned NATO against sending troops to Ukraine, threatening that such actions would increase tensions and that Moscow would be forced to respond.
“There is no doubt that such a scenario would lead to a further increase in tensions near Russia’s borders. Of course, this would require additional measures on the Russian side to ensure its security, ”Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.
The head of the United States’ North Command, Air Force general Glen VanHerck, said the stance is due to the fact that the United States and Russia are back in “competition from the great powers” as well as during the Cold War.
“Clearly, Russia is trying to reaffirm its influence and capabilities on a global stage,” VanHerck told reporters on Wednesday.
“The difference between the past and now is that interceptions are more complex – multi-access, multiplatform – and they often enter [air defense identification zone] and stay for hours, ”he added.
In 2020, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, responsible for the defense of American airspace, responded to more Russian military flights off the Alaskan coast than in any year since the end of the Cold War.
Moscow’s bellicose stance seems to have continued into 2021, giving President biden
Joe BidenLawmakers say fixing the border crisis is Biden’s job Trump asks Republicans to boycott companies amid the controversial White House electoral law: The Republican Party ‘fought to articulate a reason’ to oppose the infrastructure plan MORE a foreign policy challenge in the early days of his administration.
Last month, when asked if he thought the Russian president Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich PutinBiden makes first call with Ukrainian President Meghan McCain, criticizes Biden for lack of action in Russia, critic Navalny Putin Navalny starts hunger strike in prison for proper medical treatment MORE was a “killer” Biden replied, “Yes,” adding that the Russian leader will “pay a price” for the country’s influence operation aimed at the 2020 elections and other cyber attacks.
Supporting his hard-line stance, Biden in late February approved another $ 125 million security aid to Ukraine to defend its borders against Russia The money adds to the more than $ 2 billion in lethal assistance that the United States government has sent to the country since the annexation of Crimea.
It remains to be seen whether fighting in eastern Ukraine intensifies or how NATO will respond, but the Pentagon has made it clear that it is on alert.
“We are monitoring the situation with respect to Ukrainian military reports on Russian military positions and forces along the border … very, very closely,” said Kirby on Thursday.
“We certainly ask the Russians to be more transparent about what it is about, but we have learned from the bitter story not to just consider Russian statements about their intentions,” he added.