NEW YORK, November 23. /TASS/. The United States is considering sending additional weapons and military advisers to Ukraine because of Russia’s alleged military build-up on the border, CNN reported, citing "multiple sources familiar with the deliberations."
"The package could include new Javelin anti-tank and anti-armor missiles as well as mortars, the sources said," according to CNN. "Air defense systems, such as stinger missiles, are also under consideration, and the Defense Department has been pressing for some equipment that would have gone to Afghanistan - like Mi-17 helicopters - to instead be sent to Ukraine. The Mi-17 is a Russian helicopter that the US originally purchased to give to the Afghans. The Pentagon is now weighing what to do with them after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August," the news outlet said.
"But others in the administration are concerned that sending stingers and helicopters could be seen by Russia as a major escalation. And while they are prepared to send some military advisers into the region, it is unclear whether any would go into Ukraine itself," CNN reported, citing the sources.
The US-based news agency Bloomberg earlier reported, citing several sources, that Biden administration officials had held a briefing for European colleagues to express their concerns about Russia’s alleged preparations for an invasion into Ukraine. As the news agency claimed, Washington’s assessments of Russia’s plans were based on some secret data that only the United States possessed. However, the US administration refused to disclose this information to its European partners.
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that Moscow clearly saw the West’s intentional media crusade to paint Russia as a threat to political settlement in Ukraine. Peskov did not rule out that the crusade was just a disguise to cover up "the aggressive aims that Kiev may be nurturing.".