WASHINGTON (WTXL) — A group of Florida National Guard members were ordered out of Ukraine as tension between the country and Russia elevates.
The United States Department of Defense announced Saturday 160 troops, all from the Florida National Guard, were moved out of Ukraine and to another location in Europe.
According to the Pentagon, the service members from the Florida National Guard had been deployed to Ukraine since November. Along with training, the troops were advising and mentoring Ukrainian military personnel.
The national guard personnel were assigned to the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
"They are departing Ukraine and will reposition elsewhere in Europe," Pentagon press secretary John F. Kirby said in a written statement Saturday. "The secretary made this decision out of an abundance of caution — with the safety and security of our personnel foremost in mind — and informed by the State Department's guidance on U.S. personnel in Ukraine."
The U.S. Department of Defense announced Friday 3,000 military personnel from the 82nd Airborne Division from North Carolina were sent to Europe.
Citing Germany's chancellor, the Associated Press reported Monday more than 130,000 Russian troops positioned on Ukraine’s borders.
