US Troop Carrier Arrives To Reinforce Allies In Eastern Europe, Polish Defense Minister Calls Elite Unit

JAKARTA - A plane carrying US troops landed in Poland on Sunday, a Reuters witness said, as Washington bolstered its NATO allies in Eastern Europe amid Russia's military build-up on the Ukrainian border.

Last week, US President Joe Biden on Wednesday ordered nearly 3,000 additional troops to Poland and Romania, as Washington moved to reassure nervous NATO allies.

The Pentagon said about 1,700 service members, mainly from the 82nd Airborne Division, would be deployed from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Poland.

The arrival of the C17 aircraft on Sunday followed an aircraft carrying the Commander-in-Chief of the 82nd Airborne Division, US Army Major General Christopher Donahue, which landed Saturday at Rzeszow-Jasionka airport, and several aircraft with US military equipment and a precursor group, citing Reuters February 7th.

It was not immediately clear how many troops had arrived, but a C17 aircraft was "designed to field 102 paratroopers and their equipment", according to the US Air Force's website.

"Our national contribution here in Poland shows our solidarity with all our Allies here in Europe and clearly during this period of uncertainty we know we are stronger together," Donahue said on Sunday.

Separately, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said minutes after the plane landed, this was the first batch of American soldiers from an elite unit.

"More planes will be landing in the coming hours. The soldiers will be operating in the southeastern part of our country," he added.

For information, Russia has denied plans to invade Ukraine despite having deployed more than 100,000 troops near the border between the two countries. But Moscow has said it will take unspecified military action if its demands are not met, including NATO's pledge to never recognize Ukraine.