The Pentagon is now calling Russia an ‘acute threat’
'Russia poses acute threats, as illustrated by its brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.'
BY JEFF SCHOGOL | PUBLISHED MAR 30, 2022 9:44 AM
In Pentagon jargon, Russia has gone from a “great power competitor” to an “acute threat,” but it’s not yet clear what that means for U.S. service members and their families.
On Monday, Congress received a classified version of the 2022 National Defense Strategy, which keeps China as the Defense Department’s top priority, while Russia runs a close second, according to a fact sheet provided by the Pentagon.
“Russia poses acute threats, as illustrated by its brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” the fact sheet says. “We will collaborate with our NATO Allies and partners to reinforce robust deterrence in the face of Russian aggression.”
Get used to hearing Russia being called an “acute threat” by defense officials. The Pentagon has already adopted the new terminology. “As we’ve all seen, Russia remains an acute threat, but China and its ambitions remain our No. 1 challenge,” Defense Department comptroller Michael McCord told reporters on Monday during a news conference.
https://taskandpurpose.com/analysis/pentagon-russia-acute-threat-ukraine-invasion/