US puts 8,500 troops on ‘high alert’ amid growing tensions with Russia over Ukraine

Pentagon said that the move to put US forces on heightened alert is to ensure that the US will get ready to respond to a possible decision by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to deploy its 40,000-strong multinational response force known as NRF, which could be shored up on short notice.

Washington: The US Department of Defence has announced that nearly 8,500 American troops have been put on “heightened alert” for a possible deployment due to escalating tensions on the Russia-Ukraine border, but there is no decision on formal deployments.

John Kirby, the Defense Department`s spokesperson, said on Monday during a press briefing that putting US forces on heightened alert is to ensure that the US will get ready to respond to a possible decision by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to deploy its 40,000-strong multinational response force known as NRF, which could be shored up on short notice.

"This is really about reassuring the eastern flank of NATO," Kirby said, adding the order, which came from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the direction of President Joe Biden, was about "proving how seriously the US takes our commitment to NATO" and to the alliance`s collective defense commitment, Xinhua news agency reported.