A source from the Pentagon told Sky News Arabia: “The tension with Russia over Ukraine still exists, and the changing Russian mobilization in size and quality has not changed the Kremlin’s threats.”
A US Defense Department official told Sky News Arabia, who asked not to be named, that the Russian buildup did not change the Kremlin’s threats regarding the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukrainian lands in the next few weeks or months.
The official added that the latest information indicates that Moscow is mobilizing more than 100,000 personnel, about 13,000 tanks, and more than 1,800 artillery pieces and mechanisms capable of launching 1,500 missiles with a range of between 200 and 300 miles inside Ukrainian territory.
The official revealed that the Pentagon, through Minister Lloyd Austin’s call with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, seeks to emphasize respect for the red line that Moscow should not invade Ukraine, and the need to rely on dialogue and diplomatic means, starting from the May 10 summit, to prevent any unauthorized security slip. Calculated and not guaranteed results.
The official hinted that the capabilities of the Ukrainian army should not be underestimated, hinting that the anti-tank missiles, which Washington gave to Kiev, might inflict heavy losses on the separatist forces and the Russian army if developments occurred within the territory of Ukraine.
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