The Pentagon said on Friday the damage and casualties from a full-scale Russian military invasion of Ukraine would be “horrific,” but there was still time for diplomacy to avoid war.

“If this were to be an attack on Ukraine, it would be significant, very significant, and there would be a lot of casualties,” said Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“You can imagine what it’s going to be like in dense urban areas, along roads and so on. It’s going to be scary, it’s going to be scary.”

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, speaking alongside Milley, said a conflict in Ukraine could still be avoided despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s massing of more than 100,000 troops on the two countries’ shared border.

“Conflict is not inevitable. There is still time and space for diplomacy,” Austin said.

“Mr Putin can also do the right thing,” he added. “There is no reason for this to turn into a conflict. He can choose to de-escalate. He can order his troops to leave,” he said.

Two senior U.S. military officials have remained silent on the escalation of tensions in Eastern Europe in recent days, as there is no sign of a breakthrough in diplomatic efforts to avoid an open conflict.

They said Russia continued to increase its forces directed at Ukraine, with a range of offensive units and capabilities, including armor, air power, naval power, missiles, and cyber and political operations.

While Pentagon officials say they don’t believe Putin has decided to go to war, they say his options have widened, from provocations that could lead to attacks in the volatile southeastern Donbas region to attempts to take over the country and attack urban centers such as the capital, Kiev.

“If a war breaks out on the scale and scope that is possible, the civilian population will suffer enormously,” Milley said.

Russia itself would also be affected, he added.

“If Russia chooses to invade Ukraine, it won’t be free in terms of casualties or other significant impact.”

Austin and Milley stressed that Washington has no intention of sending U.S. troops to defend Ukraine, but will continue to provide weapons and other material support to the Ukrainian military.

They stressed, however, that the United States is prepared to send troops to reinforce and protect NATO allies in Eastern Europe, which face the potential threat of a Russian attack on Ukraine, which is not part of the Atlantic alliance.

“An attack on one NATO ally is an attack on everyone,” Milley warned.

Complete News Source : Hindustan Times