Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby on Monday said 8,500 US troops are on “heightened alert” for possible deployment in case NATO activates its rapid-response force over Russia-Ukraine tensions.
No US troops have actually been deployed…yet.
“This is really about reassuring the eastern flank of NATO, and it’s also about…proving how seriously the United States takes our commitment to NATO and to the Article Five commitment inside NATO,” John Kirby said Monday.
He continued, “Secretary Austin has placed a range of units in the United States on a heightened preparedness to deploy, which increases our readiness to provide forces – if NATO should activate the NRF, or if other situations develop.”
Secretary Kirby confirmed the total number of US troops ready to deploy comes to about 8,500 personnel.
WATCH:
.@PentagonPresSec: @SecDef has placed a range of units in the United States on heightened preparedness to deploy, which increases our readiness to provide forces if @NATO should activate the NATO Response Force. #WeAreNATO pic.twitter.com/DxCpFo2vqg
— Department of Defense
(@DeptofDefense) January 24, 2022
The post Pentagon: 8,500 US Troops on “Heightened Alert” For Possible Deployment in Case NATO Activates Rapid-Response Force Over Russia-Ukraine Tensions (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.