{"id":30392,"date":"2021-11-18T02:48:53","date_gmt":"2021-11-18T02:48:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/11\/18\/austin-moscow-should-explain-its-troop-buildup-near-ukraine\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T12:30:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T12:30:50","slug":"austin-moscow-should-explain-its-troop-buildup-near-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/2021\/11\/18\/austin-moscow-should-explain-its-troop-buildup-near-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"Austin: Moscow should explain its troop buildup near Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

American officials are unsure why Russian President Vladimir Putin is building up military forces near the border with eastern Ukraine but view it as another example of troubling military moves that demand Moscow\u2019s explanation, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll continue to call on Russia to act responsibly and be more transparent on the buildup of the forces around on the border of Ukraine,\u201d Austin told a Pentagon news conference, adding, \u201cWe\u2019re not sure exactly what Mr. Putin is up to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said the troop buildup has the Pentagon\u2019s attention and that the Russians should be \u201cmore transparent about what they\u2019re up to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Austin also criticized Russia for using a missile to shoot down one of its old satellites<\/a> on Monday, an action that created hundreds of pieces of space debris that U.S. officials have said will be a long-term hazard to space operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s most troubling about that is the danger that it creates for the international community,\u201d Austin said. \u201cIt undermines strategic stability, and as you know, there\u2019s a debris field there now that\u2019ll be there forever. And it\u2019s a safety concern. And so we would call upon Russia to act more responsibly going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t