Austin: Moscow should explain its troop buildup near Ukraine
WASHINGTON (AP) — American officials are unsure why Russian President Vladimir Putin is building up military forces near the border with eastern Ukraine but view it as another example of troubling military moves that demand Moscow’s explanation, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday.
“We’ll continue to call on Russia to act responsibly and be more transparent on the buildup of the forces around on the border of Ukraine,” Austin told a Pentagon news conference, adding, “We’re not sure exactly what Mr. Putin is up to.”
He said the troop buildup has the Pentagon’s attention and that the Russians should be “more transparent about what they’re up to.”
Austin also criticized Russia for using a missile to shoot down one of its old satellites on Monday, an action that created hundreds of pieces of space debris that U.S. officials have said will be a long-term hazard to space operations.
https://apnews.com/article/europe-russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-moscow-32c617bee399e4b81a1158a18e61d1c8