Pentagon: Russia continues to build up troops near Ukraine

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said this at a press briefing on Monday, December 6, Ukrinform reports.

"The secretary did share a meeting this morning with key departmental leaders, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff [General Mark Milley] and [NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe] General Wolters out at EUCOM to discuss the situation in Ukraine, and of course, in Western Russia," Kirby said.

However, he said he would not get into intelligence assessments of the situation. At the same time, Kirby stressed that Austin, together with the country's military and policy leaders, are well informed about what is happening around Ukraine.

"What we continue to see is added capability that President Putin continues to add, added military capability in the western part of his country and around Ukraine," Kirby said.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov on December 5 said that the number of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border could grow to 175,000.

op