Beltway Confidential

Ukraine crisis: Why did the 82nd Airborne avoid German airspace?

By Tom Rogan
Published February 14, 2022 5:53pm ET
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Ukraine crisis: Why did the 82nd Airborne avoid German airspace?
Paratroopers assigned to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division prepare equipment and load aircraft bound for the U.S. Central Command area of operations from Fort Bragg, N.C. on January 4, 2020. This deployment is a precautionary action taken to respond to increased threat levels against U.S. personnel and facilities. The 'Devil' Brigade is the nucleus of the U.S. Immediate Response Force, capable of rapidly deploying anywhere in the world in response to a variety of contingency operations. | (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Hubert Delany III)

The U.S. surged thousands more soldiers and equipment into eastern Poland last week. The airlift to Rzeszow puts at least two brigades of the 82nd Airborne Division just a one hour’s drive from Ukraine’s border. The intent is clear: to deter Russian forces from threatening NATO’s eastern flank in the event that they first invade Ukraine. That invasion is widely believed to be imminent.

Yet it was more complicated for the 82nd Airborne to get to Poland than appears necessary.

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Tag:

Army Germany NATO Poland Russia Ukraine