Ukrainians train for war in Chernobyl 3:11
(CNN) --
The White House has approved a Pentagon plan for the nearly 2,000 US troops in Poland to help Americans who may try to evacuate Ukraine if Russia invades, according to two US officials familiar with the matter.
US forces are not currently authorized to enter Ukraine if a war breaks out, and there are no plans for them to carry out a non-combatant evacuation operation similar to the one conducted in Afghanistan last summer, the officials stressed.
Ukraine-Russia Crisis Breaking News: Moscow Continues to Add Forces on Ukraine Border, US Official Says
Instead, the plan as it stands now is for the soldiers, who are from the 82nd Airborne Division, to start setting up processing areas and temporary shelters inside Poland, near the Ukrainian border, where Americans fleeing from Ukraine could go for help during transit.
The facilities have not yet been put in place, a defense official said, but will begin to do so as more US troops arrive in Poland.
The
Wall Street Journal
first reported that the White House had approved the Pentagon plan.
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters earlier this month that soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division were sent to Poland primarily because "they are multi-mission capable."
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"They can do a lot of things," Kirby said, when asked if they would help with a possible evacuation.
"It's a very versatile force. And I think their versatility, their ability to move quickly and perform a variety of missions in a variety of contingencies -- which is proven -- is why the secretary has ordered them to go ".
When asked about the planning, a White House official told CNN that "these are multi-mission forces, trained and equipped for a variety of missions to deter aggression and provide peace of mind to NATO allies.
We are constantly evaluating the evolving security situation and planning for a variety of contingencies as we always do.
But, to be clear, we are not planning a mass evacuation of US citizens from Ukraine.
President Biden has made it clear that we believe Americans in Ukraine would do well to leave" that country.
The White House official also referred to comments by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki late last month when asked under what circumstances would the United States evacuate American citizens and diplomats from Ukraine, and if it could be done without the US military.
"There is no intention that there will be an exit or an evacuation" using the military, Psaki said.
"So we are conveying to American citizens that they must leave now. There is no precedent, outside of Afghanistan, for this to be done."
The State Department announced late last month that it would reduce staff at the US Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, beginning with the departure of non-essential staff and family members.
It also issued the highest-level travel advisory for Ukraine, telling Americans not to travel to the country and to be vigilant for reports that Russia is planning significant military action.
State Department officials have repeatedly urged Americans to leave the country now, warning that US government aid would be "severely affected" if Russian military action occurs in the country.
Russia's military buildup continues.
In the last 24 hours, Moscow has added approximately 2,000 combat forces to the border areas near Ukraine, according to an administration official.
The current assessment is that more will be added in the coming days, according to intelligence reports.
The United States estimates that Russia has more than 100,000 forces near the Ukrainian border.
It is made up of approximately 100 Battalion Tactical Groups (BTGs) with more on the way.
A Russian BTG is a formation that can include between 800 and 1,000 soldiers.
But US officials have long said it's unclear to what extent the Russians are staffing all these units.
There are currently no signs that the Russian military is withdrawing, the official said.
-- CNN's Oren Liebermann contributed to this report.
Vladimir Putin
