Several hundred soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division and Fort Campbell are deploying to Europe starting Tuesday night in anticipation of a potential Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
The announcement was made just before a town hall Tuesday. An Army spokeswoman announced Tuesday afternoon that departures will begin Tuesday evening.
Elements of the @101stAASLTDIV and @FortCampbell have been ordered to deploy to U.S Europe area of operations in support of Joint Task Force Dragon in order to assure our NATO Allies and partners in the region. The elements will join @18airbornecorps already in the region.
— 101st Airborne Div. (@101stAASLTDIV) February 15, 2022
At that town hall, Maj. Gen. JP McGee said the units had previously been placed on a heightened level of readiness, and that they’ve been preparing for deployment orders for the past few weeks. They’re among about 3,000 U.S. troops that will be sent to Poland, which borders Ukraine and Belarus, where Russian troops have been massing.
“Our soldiers will provide valuable support for our higher headquarters, demonstrate solidarity with all of our allies, and reassure our Polish allies at this critical moment,” said McGee.
McGee also said that other troops are preparing for a possible deployment to the area. In a statement, the White House maintained that the U.S. is still open to diplomacy — but remains prepared for every scenario.
President Biden addressed the public on the situation on Tuesday afternoon, saying the United States had not yet verified whether Russian military units had moved away from the Ukraine border, despite claims by Russian officials.
“An invasion,” Biden said, “remains distinctly possible.”
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