US to step up presence in Eastern Europe

The US will send three armored brigade combat teams to Eastern Europe from next year in response to "an aggressive Russia," the US military said on Wednesday, March 30. “This army implementation plan continues to demonstrate our strong and balanced approach to reassuring our NATO Allies and partners in the wake of an aggressive Russia in Eastern Europe and elsewhere,” General Philip Breedlove, the top US commander in Europe, said in a statement. It means roughly 4,500 US troops, along with 250 tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Paladin self-propelled howitzers and over 1,700 additional military vehicles will be on the ground from 2017. "There will be a division's worth of staff ready to fight if something happens," said Deputy Secretary of Defence, Robert Work, according to the Wall Street Journal.