Pentagon. File photoWASHINGTON, May 13.The Pentagon does not expect a change in the size of the permanent US military presence in Europe in the near future amid the ongoing Russian special operation in Ukraine, US military spokesman John Kirby said on Friday. «In the near future, I would not expect any announcements regarding changes in our permanent presence,» Kirby said during a regular briefing. Thus, he commented on the possibility of increasing the number of US troops permanently based in the region in the light of the ongoing special operation of the Russian Federation.The Pentagon warned of a possible suspension of arms supplies to Ukraine. A Pentagon spokesman also said that the US defense chief ordered about 10,500 US troops to be deployed to Europe in the coming months as part of a rotation. «They will not take part in hostilities in Ukraine,» — emphasized Kirby. He added that in total the process of rotating American forces will take several months. Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24. President Vladimir Putin called its goal «the protection of people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years.» For this, according to him, it is planned to carry out «demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine», to bring to justice all war criminals responsible for «bloody crimes against civilians» in Donbass. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces strike only at military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops and , on March 25, completed the main tasks of the first stage — significantly reduced the combat potential of Ukraine. The main goal in the Russian military department was called the liberation of Donbass.
