Despite Moscow’s claim that it was ceasing some military training, the Pentagon’s spokesman said Monday that Russia boosted its soldiers amassed near Ukraine’s border over the weekend.
Putin’s spokesman John Kirby told CNN that Putin “continues to reinforce forces along that border with Ukraine and in Belarus, even just over the weekend, he’s well north of 100,000.”
“It’s not just the numbers,” Kirby continued. “It’s combined arms capabilities that he has available to him from everything from armour to infantry to special operations to cyber and air and missile defence.”
The US has warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is possible, and their Western partners have prepared to retaliate with a punishing package of economic sanctions.
On Monday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu declared the conclusion of some of Moscow’s large military drills in Russia and Belarus, but he assured Putin that others will continue.
