US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussed with "key departmental leaders" the "buildup of Russian military forces in the areas around eastern, northeastern, and eastern Ukraine but on obviously in western Russia."
Pentagon discusses situation on Russia-Ukraine border
STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 7, ARTSAKHPRESS: Austin met with Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. Tod Wolters, Commander of the US European Command, to " to discuss the situation in Ukraine, and of course, in Western Russia," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in an on-camera press briefing Monday, news.am informs.
"I won't get into intelligence assessments, but he [i.e., Secretary Austin] is staying very keenly and closely-informed by senior military and policy leaders here at the department about what we continue to see, and what we continue to see is added [military] capability that [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin continues to add, added military capability in the western part of his country and around Ukraine," Kirby added.
