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| US Troops Await Orders to Enter Ukraine In Romania |
Moscow - The deployment of US troops in Romania increases the risk to Russia's security and will prompt Moscow to take countermeasures. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said this. Peskov's remarks were in response to reports that said the US Army's 101st Airborne Division, currently stationed in Romania on the border with Ukraine, was awaiting orders to enter combat.
"The closer American troops are to our borders, the greater the danger we face," Peskov said. He went on to say that Moscow factors in such a military presence when developing its security framework. Peskov insists that such a deployment on Russia's doorstep does not contribute to predictability and stability. Last week, speaking to CBS News, the commander of the US 101st Airborne Division said that they would not hesitate to enter Ukraine if direct conflict broke out between Russia and NATO.
In total, about 4,700 American troops from the 101st Airborne Division have been dispatched to Europe. Meanwhile in Romania, the division, dubbed the "Screaming Eagles", held direct ground and air strike drills with their NATO counterparts.
According to its commander, the division is the US unit closest to fighting in Ukraine, and is actively monitoring the Russian military while organizing exercises to "replicate exactly what is happening" there. NATO has repeatedly stated that the organization is not a party to the conflict and will not send troops to Ukraine.
In late June, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that the US-led bloc would significantly increase the number of its troops on high alert from 40,000 to more than 300,000. Since the start of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, NATO has funneled billions of dollars in military aid to Kiev, providing it with advanced weaponry.