Top Department of Defense officials have not communicated with their Russian counterparts since Russian troops invaded Ukraine.
Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Friday that neither Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin nor Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley has spoken to their counterparts, adding, “I’m not aware of any other senior leaders here at the Department of Defense.”
Russia invaded Ukraine late last week, launching a brutal assault in various parts of the country that has allegedly included the use of cluster munitions, which are bombs that release smaller bombs when they hit the ground and explode, and a thermobaric rocket launcher that was transported into Ukraine. Both actions have resulted in allegations of war crimes.
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The U.S. and Russian military set up a de-confliction line between them in recent days to prevent misunderstandings and unintended escalations, though defense officials have not used them since they were established.
The European Command Headquarters is running the communication line, handled by “staff level officers,” Kirby said. “It’s at a lower operational level” than Gen. Tod D. Wolters, the commander of EUCOM, he added.
Austin, earlier this week, decided to postpone a ballistic missile test scheduled for this week to avoid escalating tensions with Russia.
“In an effort to demonstrate that we have no intention of engaging in any actions that could be misunderstood or misconstrued, the secretary of defense has directed our Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile test launch, scheduled for this week, to be postponed,” Kirby said.
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The secretary’s decision came after Russian President Vladimir Putin upgraded the nuclear posture within his country and threatened any intervening country would face “such consequences that you have never encountered in your history.”
U.S. troops will not fight Russians in Ukraine, President Joe Biden and members of his administration have said repeatedly, even before Putin gave the invasion order. However, Biden has deployed an additional 12,000 to European allies, and 2,000 more from within Europe have been relocated. More than 80,000 troops are typically stationed on the continent.
