Hundreds of US elite troops arrived in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine on Sunday on President Joe Biden's orders to deploy 1,700 soldiers there amid fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The airborne infantry troops of the 82nd Airborne Division were expected at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport. Their commander is Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue was the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan on August 30.
Biden ordered additional US troops deployed to Poland, Romania and Germany to demonstrate to both allies and foes America's commitment to NATO's eastern flank amid rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine. NATO's eastern member Poland borders both Russia and Ukraine. Romania borders Ukraine.
The division can rapidly deploy within 18 hours and conduct parachute assaults to secure key objectives. Based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the division's history goes back to 1917.
Earlier in the week, US planes brought equipment and logistics troops in preparation for the arrival of elements of the division to the airport, located some 90 kilometres (56 miles) from Poland's border with Ukraine.
Polish soldiers have previously worked together with the US division on missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Maj. Przemyslaw Lipczynski, spokesman for the Polish Army 18th Mechanized Division.
Some 4,000 US troops have been stationed in Poland since 2017, on a rotating basis.
