Lloyd Austin orders Florida National Guard members in Ukraine to leave

Published February 12, 2022 2:52pm ET



Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the roughly 160 Florida National Guard members who are operating in Ukraine in an advisory capacity to leave as the threat of a possible Russian invasion appears to be increasingly likely.

Austin ordered their repositioning “out of an abundance of caution,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement on Saturday morning, adding that the decision was made “with the safety and security of our personnel foremost in mind.”

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.