Colonel Edwin Mattaides told the CBS TV channel that his unit, stationed in Romania, is "closely monitoring" the actions of the Russian Armed ForcesWASHINGTON, October 22.
/tass/. The 101st Airborne Division of the US Army stationed in Europe is ready to enter the territory of Ukraine in the event of further escalation between Moscow and Kiev or an attack on one of the NATO countries. This was reported on Friday with reference to the command of the division by the CBS TV channel.
Washington announced the first transfer of the aforementioned unit to Europe in almost 80 years as part of strengthening the eastern flank of NATO last summer. According to the SVS, we are talking about 4.7 thousand military personnel. The journalists of the TV channel interviewed the deputy commander of the division, Brigadier General John Lubas and Colonel Edwin Mattaides, commander of the second brigade of the division. "We are ready to defend every inch of NATO territory," Lubas said, his words are quoted in a publication on the CBS website.
Mattaides noted that his unit, stationed in Romania, is closer to Ukrainian territory than any other US forces, and "closely monitors" the actions of the Russian Armed Forces, "building targets for training" and conducting exercises that "exactly repeat what is happening" in Ukraine.
According to the CBS, Lubas and Mattaides "have repeatedly stated that they are always "ready for battle even today" and, although they are there (in Europe - approx. In order to defend the territory of NATO, in the event of an escalation of hostilities or any attack on NATO, they are fully ready to cross the border with Ukraine."
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in Ukraine in response to a request from the leaders of the Donbass republics for help. The West then imposed sanctions against the Russian Federation and increased the supply of weapons and military equipment to Kiev in the amount of billions of dollars. In addition, the United States announced the transfer of additional forces to Europe to strengthen NATO's eastern flank. At the same time, US President Joe Biden has repeatedly stressed that he does not intend to send American troops to Ukraine.
