The Pentagon: Russian forces on the borders of Ukraine have taken an offensive position
A Pentagon official announced that more than 40% of the Russian forces amassed on Ukraine's borders have taken an offensive posture, noting that the stage of Russian-led destabilization in this country "has begun."
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the United States, which estimates the number of Russian forces currently deployed in northern, eastern and southern Ukraine at more than 150,000, has monitored since Wednesday the movements of Russian forces towards the border.
He added in front of reporters that "between 40% and 50%" of those forces took an "offensive posture. They were deployed at tactical gathering points in the past 48 hours."
Tactical assembly points are areas close to the front line where a military unit must congregate before launching an attack.
On Friday, the official said, Moscow had 125 military battalions near the Ukrainian border, compared to 60 in normal times and 80 in early February.
He noted that the high frequency of clashes between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces, and the inflammatory statements made by the Kremlin and pro-Russian separatist leaders regarding the situation in the Russian-speaking Donbass and Lugansk regions, are consistent with the "current destabilization campaign in Ukraine."
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