US to send extra 3,000 troops to Poland amid Ukraine-Russia crisis

The United States will be sending 3,000 additional troops to Poland in the coming days to try and help reassure NATO allies, four US officials told Reuters, as Russia held military exercises in Belarus and the Black Sea following the buildup of its forces near Ukraine.

Russia is amassing more troops near Ukraine and an invasion could come at any time, perhaps before the end of this month's Winter Olympics, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday.

Commercial satellite images published by a private US company showed new Russian military deployments at several locations near Ukraine.

The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the US troop deployment will come from the 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and not from within US forces in Europe.

They are expected to be in Poland by next week, they said.

One of the officials described it as a significant deployment.

Another official said the deployment order was signed by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the direction of President Joe Biden.

They are in addition to the 8,500 troops already on alert to be ready to deploy to Europe if needed and the nearly 3,000 American troops the administration said earlier this month it would deploy to Poland and Romania.

Biden met his national security advisers in the White House Situation Room Thursday night to discuss Russia's ongoing military buildup around Ukraine.

Russia has already massed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine, and this week it launched joint military exercises in neighboring Belarus and naval drills in the Black Sea.

Moscow denies plans to invade Ukraine, but says it could take unspecified "military-technical" action unless a series of demands are met, including promises from NATO never to admit Ukraine and to withdraw forces from Eastern Europe.

The United States and Britain have both warned an invasion could come within days.

READ MORE: Biden: US citizens should leave Ukraine immediately

Moscow: West lying about invasion

The Russian foreign ministry said late on Friday that Western countries, with help from the media, were spreading false information by suggesting that Moscow may be planning to invade Ukraine.

The ministry said in a statement on its website that Western countries were trying to distract attention from their own aggressive actions.

The United States said earlier on Friday that Russia has massed enough troops near Ukraine to launch a major invasion, which would likely start with an air assault.

READ MORE: What did Macron achieve from his Russia visit?

Biden, Putin to talk over phone

Meanwhile, President Putin and his US counterpart are planning to talk over the phone on Saturday, Moscow based new agency, RIA, cites Kremlin.

Separately, another Russian media outlet said Putin also will talk to French President Emmanuel Macron. 

The Biden administration has made clear that it will not send US troops into Ukraine to help American citizens looking to flee the country should there be a Russian invasion, urging them to leave now.

While the United States does not have any ships in the Black Sea currently, the US Navy has sent four additional destroyers to Europe in recent weeks.

READ MORE: Russia launches military drills with Belarus as Ukraine tensions continue