Bila Tserkva, Vasylkiv, Myronivka(13:40). Red Alert: aerial threat. Sirens sounding. Take cover now!
Kyiv, Dnipro, Cherkasy, Kramators’k(13:39). Red Alert: aerial threat. Sirens sounding. Take cover now!
Kyiv(13:34). Red Alert: aerial threat. Sirens sounding. Take cover now!
No plans for U.S. troops to deploy to Ukraine to deter Russia. If Putin invades, he faces largely "economic consequences," Kirby says
Size of Russian forces around Ukraine "Has gotten bigger. Absolutely" per @PentagonPresSec - "They are in fact adding more"
Per @StateDeptSpox, US still expects to send its written response to Russia re NATO/Ukraine this week, will include response to Russia's proposals and also other issues the US is hoping can be grounds for agreement with Russia
No decision to pull out those US forces currently in Ukraine working as military advisers/trainers, Pentagon spox Kirby says
"It's very clear the Russians have no intention right now of deescalating" per @PentagonPresSec on timing of this announcement of heightened alert
"As of now the decision has been made to pace these units on heightened alerts & heightened alert only" per @PentagonPresSec. Some units been told to be ready to deploy in as little as 5 days, he says "No final decision has been made to deploy them"
DoD press sec Kirby: "The US is taking steps to heighten the readiness of forces at home and abroad so they are prepared to support a range of contingencies, including the NATO Response Force if it is activated"
@PentagonPresSec Kirby announcing steps to ready multi-national NATO response force (NRF) of 40,000 troops "if it is activated to defeat aggression, if necessary" against Russia
.@SecDef has placed "a range of units on a heightened readiness to deploy" - about 8,500 personnel - per @PentagonPresSec
Pentagon taking steps to heighten readiness over Ukraine - including for @NATO response force if activated, per @PentagonPresSec. US "keenly focused" on Russia's military build-up along Ukraine and in Belarus
Psaki on additional US troops to eastern flank NATO allies: "We have never ruled out the option of providing additional assistance in advance of an invasion. Those discussions have been ongoing"
White House says there is no plan to evacuate Americans from Ukraine with military assets. Psaki says people are being encouraged to leave by commercial aircraft
France sees 'path to de-escalation' of Ukraine-Russia tensions: Macron aide
"We are conveying very clearly now that now is the time to leave" Ukraine, says @PressSec of US citizens
US refining its military plans for all scenarios on Ukraine crisis: White House
2 year agoThe NeptuneStrike22 "is the first time since the end of the Cold War that a US carrier strike group has gone under @NATO command, and this exercise will help demonstrate the unity capability and strength of the Transatlantic Alliance," said @PressSec
Speaker Pelosi has asked the White House for an all-member, bipartisan briefing on Ukraine/Russia situation
2 year agoRAF BAe 146-200 RRR1557 from Kyiv #Ukraine
"There is no reason to panic": Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Olexiy Danilov called for calm in the face of a possible Russian invasion
EU foreign ministers agree no need to take action to evacuate staff from Ukraine - Borrell
2 year agoNATO Sec Gen Stoltenberg on whether he's disappointed in Germany says only that Berlin has agreed to send the same message(s) and provide same reinforcements as all other allies
"We have not made any decision to withdraw those people working for @NATO in Kyiv" per SecGen @jensstoltenberg, asked about moves by US, others to evacuate some personnel from Ukraine "This has to be a national decision" he says
2 year agoWhite House: "In the afternoon, the President will hold a secure video call with European leaders as part of our close consultation and coordination with our Transatlantic Allies and partners in response to Russia's military buildup on Ukraine's borders
2 year agoRQ-4A Global Hawk on 10 hours mission over Ukraine
2 year agoNATO chief Stoltenberg thanks Sweden for reinforcing its military presence on Gotland as added security for NATO allies on the Baltic Sea
2 year agoNATO is "considering to further enhance its presence in the eastern part of the Alliance. This could include the deployment of additional NATO battlegroups," says @jensstoltenberg
2 year agoLatvia has asked its citizens not to travel to Ukraine -Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics
