The Pentagon sharply criticized Russia's announcement Thursday that it was starting military drills near the border with Ukraine and called on Moscow to take steps to lower tensions. "The Russian announcement of additional exercises on the Ukrainian border is exactly opposite of what we have been calling on the Russians to do, which is to de-escalate the situation," Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren told reporters. "So we again call on them to act responsibly, to de-escalate this situation and to help all parties bring this crisis to a peaceful resolution." Moscow has said that the drills were a response to Ukrainian operations against pro-Russian separatists and NATO exercises in eastern Europe.
