Russia Continues To Mass Troops Near Ukraine Border

Russia has continued to amass new troops near Ukraine's border in recent days, despite President Joe Biden urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to de-escalate tensions during a virtual meeting last week, Natasha Bertrand, Jim Sciutto and Katie Bo Lillis reported for CNN.

Photo Insert: Soldiers of the Russian Military

More Russian military units have been sent to the border area in recent days, sources familiar with the intelligence tell CNN. US and Ukrainian officials have also seen evidence that Russia has begun diverting commercial air and rail systems to support the military effort, though similar air and rail activity was visible in the spring during Russia's last military buildup that was ultimately pulled back.

The latest US intelligence assessments place more than 50 so-called Battalion Tactical Groups (BTGs) deployed on and around the Ukraine border with six more in transit. These groups, which can typically include as many as 900 personnel each, are highly diversified and fairly self-sufficient combat units with a combination of troops, artillery, anti-tank weapons, reconnaissance and engineering units.

BTGs, as they're known, played a leading role in Russian military activity in Ukraine in 2014. The US is still weighing whether to send more weapons and equipment to Ukrainians, following shipments in the last two months of Javelin anti-tank missiles and Command Launch Units, Island Class Patrol Boats, first aid kits, secure radios, electronics, medical equipment, engines, generators, spare parts, as well as small arms and ammunition. Ukrainian officials have also been pushing for air defense systems, like Patriot surface-to-air missiles, from the US.

The Biden administration still sees a window to deter a Russian invasion, assessing that Putin has not yet decided whether to launch an attack. But a White House official emphasized to CNN that "we believe talks would be more productive were they to happen in an environment of de-escalation, instead of escalation."

Russia has been demanding security guarantees from the US and NATO, including a binding pledge that NATO won't expand further east and will not allow Ukraine to join the military alliance, according to a draft proposal posted online Friday by Russia's foreign ministry. Russian officials presented Assistant Secretary of State Karen Donfried with the proposals while she was in Moscow this week, which Donfried said she would share with US allies and partners.

But despite an offer to facilitate a meeting with Russia and NATO to discuss Moscow's concerns, Biden has signaled that the US will not make any concessions on either NATO or Ukraine's future.

"One nation can't force another nation to change its border; one nation cannot tell another to change its politics; and nations can't tell others who they can work with," Biden told Putin during their meeting, according to a senior White House official.

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