Pentagon spokesman John Kirby moving to White House
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby is joining the White House, according to a person familiar with the matter, adding star power to the President Joe Biden's National Security Council. Kirby, who also served as the top spokesman at the Pentagon and the State Department during the Obama administration, is expected to take handle strategic communications for the NSC, as the West Wing navigates a range of foreign policy challenges, from Russia's invasion of Ukraine to North Korea's nuclear program. Kirby has been a fixture on cable news, particularly during the Ukraine crisis, and is valued in the administration for seeming to handle even the thorniest foreign policy questions with ease.
news.yahoo.comPentagon spokesman Kirby moving to White House in senior communications role
Placeholder while article actions loadPentagon spokesman John Kirby will move to the White House in a senior communications role, according to two people familiar with the personnel move. Kirby’s move to the White House comes after Karine Jean-Pierre took over as White House press secretary from Jen Psaki, who left the administration last week. Kirby met with President Biden at the White House the day after he offered the press secretary job to Jean-Pierre. On May 16 White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said “representation matters” during her first, historic briefing serving in the role. (Video: The Washington Post)Kirby is expected to be heavily involved in White House communications, including working closely with the National Security Council.
washingtonpost.comReview finds US troops didn't violate law in Syria airstrike
The U.S. military committed a number of procedural mistakes in the aftermath of a 2019 airstrike in Syria that killed dozens, including women and children, but a new investigation has concluded that U.S. troops did not violate the law of war or deliberately cause civilian casualties.
US seeks to downplay role in sinking of Russian warship
The Biden administration sought Friday to downplay the role of American intelligence in the high-profile sinking of the Russian missile cruiser Moskva, distancing itself from any direct role in one of the greatest embarrassments for Russia since it attacked Ukraine.
U.S. provided intelligence that helped Ukraine sink Russian warship
The United States provided Ukraine with intelligence that helped Kyiv add: identify, attack and sink the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, the Moskva, in one of the most dramatic battlefield successes of the 71-day old war, according to people familiar with the matter.
washingtonpost.comEXPLAINER: Why Washington is boosting heavy arms for Ukraine
The Biden administration’s decision to dramatically ramp up delivery of artillery guns to Ukraine eight weeks into the war signals a deepening American military commitment at a pivotal stage of fighting for the country’s industrial heartland.
Russia test-fires new intercontinental ballistic missile
The Russian military says it has successfully performed the first test of a new intercontinental ballistic missile, a weapon President Vladimir Putin said would make the West “think twice” before harboring any aggressive intentions against Russia
washingtonpost.comRussia test-fires new intercontinental ballistic missile
The Russian military says it has successfully performed the first test of a new intercontinental ballistic missile, a weapon President Vladimir Putin said would make the West “think twice” before harboring any aggressive intentions against Russia.
Ukraine braces for new offensive as Russia reinforces military in east
U.S. intelligence has observed a massive Russian military convoy making its way south toward Izyum, a strategically important town in northeast Ukraine that Russia seized earlier this month and may use now as a staging point to carry out assaults on larger cities to the south, the Pentagon said Monday.
washingtonpost.comKremlin spokesman admits ‘we have significant losses of troops,’ calls it ‘a huge tragedy’
Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, acknowledged in an interview published on Thursday that Russia had sustained “significant losses of troops” and called it a “huge tragedy.” The remarks, which were made to Sky News, are a rare acknowledgement from Moscow of the difficulties Russia has confronted in its invasion of Ukraine. Russia…
news.yahoo.comReport: US military must do more to avoid civilian deaths
A new report says the U.S. military needs to adjust its planning, targeting and use of weapons in order to better avoid widespread civilian deaths and damage such as the devastating 2017 battle to liberate the Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State militants.
More than 40 GOP senators urge Biden to aid ‘transfer of aircraft’ to Ukraine
More than 40 Republican U.S. senators on Thursday called for President Biden to aid “the transfer of aircraft and air defense systems” to Ukraine a day after officials quashed Poland’s offer to send fighter jets with American help, worried about escalating the war.
washingtonpost.comPentagon says Poland's jet offer for Ukraine 'not tenable'
The Pentagon said Tuesday that Poland's offer to give its MiG-29 fighter jets to the U.S. so they can be passed to Ukraine raises serious concerns for the NATO alliance and the plan is not “a tenable one.” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in a statement that the prospect of jets departing from a U.S./NATO base in Germany to fly into airspace contested with Russia in the Ukraine war is concerning.
news.yahoo.comUK's Johnson cites 'a dangerous moment' in Ukraine crisis
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the Ukraine crisis has grown into “the most dangerous moment” for Europe in decades, while his top diplomat held icy talks with her Moscow counterpart who said the Kremlin won’t accept lectures from the West.
US orders 8,500 troops on heightened alert amid Russia worry
The Pentagon says Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered about 8,500 U.S. troops on heightened alert, preparing for possible deployment to Europe, if needed, to reassure NATO allies in the face of Russian aggression on the border of Ukraine.