Jim Garamon of DoD News reports that US President Joe Biden has directed that 7,000 US service members be stationed in Germany to bolster Russia's resistance. As a result, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III has ordered the deployment of those 7,000 service members. The main unit of this consignment is the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division based at Fort Stewart, Georgia, said a senior defense official speaking on the background.
Enabling units will also be deployed. "The army is going to Germany to reassure NATO allies, to prevent a Russian offensive and to be prepared to support a number of other needs in the region," the official said. This means that in total, about 12,000 US troops have been ordered to be stationed in Europe from the United States or another 2,000 troops have been stationed in Europe that have moved closer to the eastern side of NATO. They join the 80,000 US service members based in Europe. The official added that adding service members to NATO members on the continent brings that number to more than 2 million. Some of the deployed US troops are from the Austin group that was placed in an increased state of preparedness in January.
Troops will initially be stationed in Germany. They can be transferred to other NATO countries as needed. "We expect that they will move to [the United States] in the coming days," the official said.
Russian forces continue to attack major population centers of Kyiv in Ukraine - the capital - and Kharkiv in the eastern part of the country. The official said Ukrainian units are fighting a Russian offensive, but there is no way to classify their resistance.
The official said Russia has launched at least 160 short-range, medium-range and cruise missiles into Ukraine from land, sea and air, and more Russian troops have entered Ukraine. The missiles are aimed at military bases and airfields around Kharkiv and Kyiv. Again, there is no way to verify how accurate they are or what casualties they are causing.