According to a New York Times report, the Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was shocked to hear that the Russian Defense Minister was on the call.
The report mentioned that the Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov called Austin and cautioned him about an alleged Ukrainian operation expected to be backed by the US.
Call Taken Seriously
Two US officials who spoke to the New York Times on condition of anonymity said the call was taken seriously by the Defense Secretary.
Mr. Austin was told that any such operation will flare up already tense relations between Moscow and Washington.
Belousov asked the US Defense Secretary if he was aware of any such operation to which the secretary responded in ‘NO’.
“During the call, the secretary emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine,” Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters after the call.
The US is not sure if the covert Ukrainian operation was real but agrees that such operations are risky.
