Pentagon Sends 7,000-Soldier Strong Unit to Europe as Russia Invades Ukraine

Video Above; Russia Attacks Ukraine – Infantry Commander Analyzes Russian Tactics & Weapons

By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

As the war in Ukraine unfolds, Pentagon leaders appear to be operating with both a high-measure of concern for Ukraine as well as an effort to move quickly to enhance further deterrence efforts against the possibility of further Russian expansion.

US Soldier Deployment

Operating at the request of President Biden, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered a 7,000-soldier strong unit to Europe. The major unit within the deployed force is an Armored Brigade Combat Team from the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division. The force will depart the US in a few days to Germany for possible forward deployment to NATO’s Eastern Flank, a Pentagon report said. 

With this most recent deployment order, the Pentagon will be sending a total of 12,000 US-based troops to Europe to reinforce NATO and join the 80,000 US military personnel already there. As for where they might go, the Pentagon and NATO certainly have many options. US Stryker units have deployed to Bulgaria, thousands of new US-based forces have been sent to Poland and US-based F-35s have been sent to Germany and then forward deployed to reinforce NATO to the East. 

Many eyes are on the Baltics, as the NATO member states have long maintained great anxiety about a Russian take-over given their proximity bordering the country and relatively small military force. Poland is also an essential likely destination, given that it borders both Ukraine and Belarus. 

Sharing a border with Belarus is an extremely significant consideration for Poland, since Russian forces appear to have entered Ukraine toward Kyiv from Belarus with the full blessing of Belarussian leadership. Some reports have raised the question as to whether Belarussian forces may themselves be joining and fighting alongside Russian troops. Entering Ukraine from Belarus is the shortest path to Kyiv, and there appears to be a longstanding partnership between Russian and Belarussian leaders.