US Deploys Four Warships To Support NATO Allies As Russian Buildup Continues

The U.S. Navy has sent four guided-missile destroyers to join the U.S. 6th Fleet in Europe. This would make the 6th Fleet the largest naval force in Europe since 2018, said reports.

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Donald Cook, USS Mitscher, USS The Sullivans and USS Gonzalez left their home ports on the East Coast last month as independent deployers for U.S. 6th Fleet, reported USNI News.

A statement from the Navy officials said the ships were there to "support of the U.S. 6th Fleet and our NATO allies," thereby not connecting it with the Russian naval buildup in the Black Sea.

"Throughout their deployment, they will participate in a range of maritime activities in support of the U.S. 6th Fleet and our NATO allies," Navy spokesman Cmdr. Arlo Abrahamson told USNI News.

However, the announcement comes just days after reports said Russian landing craft and submarines have entered the Black Sea, bordering Ukraine. Though Russia claims the ships are there for a series of pre-planned naval drills, there are fears that the deployment and ban on traffic to the region during the next week hints at a "sea blockade."

The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and its escorts have been stationed near the entrance to the Black Sea since late December. This was after defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the Navy aircraft carrier strike group to stay in the Mediterranean Sea region rather than move on to the Middle East.

Truman's escorts include USS Cole, USS Jason Dunham, SS Bainbridge, USS Gravely and Royal Norwegian Navy frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F310).

Meanwhile, the first batch of U.S. troops reinforcing NATO allies on the eastern flank has arrived in Romania. According to Pentagon, the U.S. is sending nearly 3,000 extra soldiers to Poland and Romania to shield Eastern Europe from potential spillover from the Ukraine crisis.

Tensions on the Ukrainian border have peaked with Russia and Belarus kickstarting 10-day joint military drills. Despite Moscow maintaining that it has no intention to invade Ukraine, Kremlin continues to build up its forces along the border with Ukraine.

The Pentagon said Russia has now deployed "north of 100,000" troops. "We have continued to see even over the last 24 hours additional capabilities flow from elsewhere in Russia to that border with Ukraine and Belarus. We're not going to get into providing specific numbers but the numbers continue to grow," he said.