Austin: Moscow should explain its troop buildup

Washington: American officials are unsure why Russian President Vladimir Putin is building up military forces near the border with eastern Ukraine but view it as another example of troubling military moves that demand Moscow’s explanation, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday.

We’ll continue to call on Russia to act responsibly and be more transparent on the buildup of the forces around on the border of Ukraine, Austin told a Pentagon news conference, adding, We’re not sure exactly what Mr. Putin is up to.

He said the troop buildup has the Pentagon’s attention and that the Russians should be more transparent about what they’re up to.

Austin also criticised Russia for using a missile to shoot down one of its old satellites on Monday, an action that created hundreds of pieces of space debris that U.S. officials have said will be a long-term hazard to space operations.

What’s most troubling about that is the danger that it creates for the international community, Austin said. It undermines strategic stability, and as you know, there’s a debris field there now that’ll be there forever. And it’s a safety concern. And so we would call upon Russia to act more responsibly going forward.”Austin’s language on Russia’s use of an antisatellite missile was milder than that of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has called the move dangerous and irresponsible. Blinken on Monday said it showed Russia is willing to imperil the exploration and use of outer space by all nations. -(AP)