DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY SABRINA SINGH: OK. So, today Secretary Austin spoke with Ukrainian Defense Minister Umerov regarding Ukraine's military operations and discussed ongoing support from allies and partners in helping meet Ukraine's urgent military requirements. The secretary reiterated US support for Ukraine, and that the two will continue to remain in close contact. We will have a readout, hopefully posted soon, later today on Defense.gov.
Switching gears, the US Central Command sponsored exercise Regional Cooperation 2024 kicks off today in Phoenix. The Arizona Army National Guard and their state partner, Kazakhstan, will host the exercise through the end of the month. Additional participants from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Mongolia and Pakistan will participate in the exercise designed to enhance regional security and stability, increase national capabilities and commitment to interdict weapons of mass destruction, terrorist elements and narcotics, and help develop regional defense forces in international peace operations and information sharing.
Training provided during RC24 promotes cooperation and interoperability, builds functional capacity, supports stability operations, and enhances responsive — responsiveness between multinational organizations. This exercise series has been conducted annually since 2001, both in Central and South Asia and in the United States, with support of the National Guard units who are state partners of these countries.
And with that, be happy to take your questions. Tara?
Q: All right. So, has the US role expanded at all in advising the Ukrainians on their Kursk operations, since now it's not just a move forward, it's kind of a move forward and hold?
MS. SINGH: Like has our — like, what do you mean? Expanded in terms of what, like our information sharing or anything like that?
Q: Exactly.
MS. SINGH: No, nothing has changed in terms of our partnership and relationship with Ukraine. As you know, our main avenue of supporting Ukraine is through security assistance. So, presidential drawdown packages are going to continue. I don't have one to preview right now, but those have continued pretty regularly. I think we rolled out one a week — a week ago-ish, so that support is ongoing.
Q: What about like satellite imagery or things that could help them with this effort?
MS. SINGH: Well, wouldn't discuss any intelligence sharing that we would do with the Ukrainians, but we do have that relationship with them. But I'm not going to go beyond anything that, you know, we've said publicly. Other than that, we continue to work with the Ukrainians to give them the support that they need, but that is primarily through drawdown packages.
Q: So, you won't talk about whether or not we're providing additional satellite information?
MS. SINGH: Yeah, I'm not — just not going to get into that.
Q: Okay.
MS. SINGH: Okay, great. Idrees?
Q: Are you still flying ISR flights over Gaza for hostage assistance, rescue assistance?
MS. SINGH: We have been assisting with hostage efforts, but I don't have any more details to provide on that.
Q: Could you take that — if the flights are still ongoing?
MS. SINGH: I think we — look, I'm not going to detail when we do that. But we have been supporting operations to support hostage recovery and rescue, whether that's ISR or other intelligence methods.
Q: And do you have an update on the casualties from a few weeks ago — a week ago from the Syria attack? I think it was eight at last count. Has that gone up?
MS. SINGH: From Syria, from RLZ?
Q: Yes —
MS. SINGH: Or from —
Q: Yeah.
MS. SINGH: So, I believe that was — I believe, in conducting our post-strike analysis, we had 11 service members that received treatment for TBI or other smoke inhalation. Eight of those service members, which we had read out at the time, were transported to a separate location for further assessment, but now all 11 have returned to duty.
Do you have anything else or —
Q: No.
MS. SINGH: Oren?
Q: I think it was on Thursday you said part of the discussions between the US and Ukraine were to get a better understanding of the purpose and the intent of the Kursk operation. Was that part of this call with Umerov? And if so, what is the US's understanding of the purpose and intent of Ukraine with the Kursk operation?
MS. SINGH: Well, I think you saw — Oren you probably saw over the weekend President Zelenskyy spoke to their objectives in the Kursk operation, so I don't have more to provide beyond that. The secretary did get a better understanding from speaking with Minister Umerov just on what they're trying to accomplish there. But I don't have more details to provide other than that, yes, we did get some more clarity over the weekend.
Will?
Q: Gordon Black's appeal was rejected by Russia today. Any comment on that? And what is his current status with the US military?
MS. SINGH: I'd refer you to Army for that —
Q: OK.
MS. SINGH: In terms of his current status. I did see that as I was just walking out. You know, that's something that the State Department continues to work, and they're the lead on that. But I just don't have more to provide on anything additional, especially his status. I'd just refer you to the Army.
Q: On the operation in Kursk, do you have anything more, any more details about to what degree the Russians are withdrawing forces, diverting forces from inside Ukraine to help fight?
MS. SINGH: And I know you've been interested in this one. I don't have more information. We have seen movement of Russian forces, but I couldn't tell you exactly where they're pulling their forces from, other than that, you know, what they've said publicly as well is that they are going to move forces. But I just don't have more specifics to get into on where they're pulling them from.
Yes?
Q: US and South Korea kick off the large-scale exercise named Ulchi Freedom Shield today. And then can you tell me the background of this exercise, and then how many US troops join and what US asset will be involved in this exercise?
MS. SINGH: You know, for more details on that exercise — and I think we did read out a little bit of it. I want to say it was a while ago unless I'm getting my exercises confused. But for more on that specific exercise, I'd refer you to INDOPACOM to speak to that. I just don't have the specifics in front of me.
Q: So, North Korea react, this exercise kind of a provocative or drill progression. What is your reaction of this response?
MS. SINGH: Yeah. So, again, I just don't have any specifics on the exercise. I'd refer you to the COCOM to speak to it.
Q: OK.
MS. SINGH: OK. Short gaggle, five minutes. Okay. All right.
Q: Thank you, Sabrina.
MS. SINGH: I thought we were going to have a record.
Q: Just quick —
MS. SINGH: Yeah.
Q: It should be quick. Has there been any change or update to US policy in arming the Ukrainians now that they are actually fighting on US — or sorry, Russian soil in terms of weapons packages or what they can use?
MS. SINGH: No change to US policy in terms of continuing to provide support to Ukraine. The president has been very clear about, you know, our ongoing and enduring support for Ukraine and being with Ukraine for as long as it takes. The secretary later in September will convene another UDCG, and that's another opportunity for countries all across the world to convene and, you know, discuss what more they can provide Ukraine and kind of work around the table on the capabilities and resources that Ukraine needs.
But there have been no changes to US policy in terms of continuing to provide those presidential drawdown packages. That's ongoing. That continues. I don't have one to read out right now today, but, you know —
Q: But where those weapons can be used, that hasn't been a change?
MS. SINGH: There has not been a change in our longstanding policy on how weapons can be used on the battlefield or within Russia. There's been no change.
Liz?
Q: Thanks. There's now four guided missile destroyers in the Mediterranean. How long are those going to stay there? Are they just waiting this potential attack from Iran out?
MS. SINGH: So, I don't have — you know, I certainly wouldn't speak to timelines. But we did make force posture changes to move destroyers and other capabilities closer so if we need to
defend Israel, you know, they could be there. I just don't have a timeline or specifics on how long they'll be in that region.
Noah?
Q: Um-hmm. During the briefing last week, you mentioned that there was more detail that the Pentagon was seeking about the objectives of the Kursk operation.
MS. SINGH: Yeah.
Q: Were President Zelenskyy's comments during his address yesterday helpful in that? Is that sort of what you were looking for, or more details you're looking for?
MS. SINGH: So, you know, President Zelenskyy's comments I think gave an overview of their objectives. And then the secretary's, in speaking with Minister Umerov today, you know, got a little bit more granular. I think we still seek some additional details, just you know, that are more in depth. But we're working through those and, you know, we'll have a readout later today of the call.
Q: Um-hmm. And then just the follow up to that, there was an alert over the weekend from the duty officer about a non-combat related fatality I believe to an airman. Any more details on that, or is it just under investigation?
MS. SINGH: I don't have more details on that, but the Air Force might so I'd refer you to the Air Force.
Do you have another?
Q: I was just following up on the defense of Israel. In his calls with Mr. Gallant, how's the secretary kind of hold that thread? Like, what does the defense of Israel look like? Would we be shooting down incoming missiles? Does it involve US troops? I mean, how far does the US go?
MS. SINGH: When we talk about the defense of Israel in the context of an attack from Iran, we're talking about — I mean, to give you an example of what we did on April 13th, so, it is — it was shooting down drones, missiles, you know, being positioned closer to Israel, you know, to allow for that to happen. That's what we're talking about. We're not talking about anything else and not, you know, putting forces on the ground in any way.
Yeah.
Q: I actually had a question.
MS. SINGH: Okay. Eric, and I'll come back to you. Oh, and then Ellie.
Q: The Kursk incursion extends along the line — the long front lines. The Ukrainians are already defending 600 miles or so. The secretary in the past has raised concerns about how the Ukrainians deploy their forces because of this and that they're already thinly stretched. Is this one of the things — one of the areas that he's seeking more clarification on, how not — how to conduct this incursion, maintain a buffer zone, and yet not overstretch these forces since manpower's already such a critical shortage that Ukraine has?
MS. SINGH: Broadly speaking, I think battlefield dynamics are always something that comes up and how forces are being utilized just generally, and not just with Secretary Austin. You know, our — General Cavoli is also in touch with his counterpart, and that's something that they discuss pretty regularly.
In terms of this, I mean, where the Ukrainians are operating, it's still within, you know, that cross-border region where they were receiving fires from Russian forces. So, they're still operating within sort of the bounds of the policy that we set. But, you know, of course being stretched on the battlefield is something that the secretary discussed, but I just don't have more specifics.
Q: But has he raised concerns? Does he see this — if it extends over a long period of time, particularly as the reports of the Russians accelerating gains in areas in the Donbas that are significant — strategically significant —
MS. SINGH: Yeah.
Q: To that area, has he raised that as a concern? Is he pressing for more details from the Umerov on how he seeks to address that?
MS. SINGH: Yeah, he did. You know, we are always seeking and want to see all the details as much as we can. I'm just not going to get into any more specifics on their call. As you know, we always refer to the Ukrainians to speak to their operation. So, I'm just gonna have to do that.
One more here and then I'll go to Ellie. Yes?
Q: North Korean military delegate last week participating with Russian military expos in Moscow. So, do you know any result, any deal DPRK and Russia made during the expo?
MS. SINGH: Do I know of any —
Q: Result, any —
MS. SINGH: Result?
Q: Deal?
MS. SINGH: I am not. I'm not aware of — I don't know what came out of those conversations. But what I can tell you is certainly the partnership and relationship that we've seen between the DPRK and Russia continues, and it continues to deepen. And that is, of course, a growing concern for us. It's something that we monitor.
But at the end of the day, we, you know, continue to stand with Ukraine, and Ukraine has partners and allies across the world supporting their efforts, over 50, you know, countries supporting that come together through the UDCG. And I think that sends quite a strong message.
Ellee?
Q: There was a reported incident this morning in the I think Sabine Shoal between the Chinese -
MS. SINGH: Yeah.
Q: And the Philippines. They each blamed each other. Does the Pentagon have any more information on what happened and who was responsible?
MS. SINGH: So, I've seen some of the public reporting on it. Let me just see if there's anything — nope, not gonna work. OK. So, from what I've seen publicly, and it's something that — you know, we've seen this type of behavior before from PRC ships trying to intercept when it comes to Philippine ships doing either resupply in their EEZ or — you know, and lawfully doing it.
I know that there was the use of water cannons that were used. I don't think any — I think there was minor damage to some of the Philippine Coast Guard ships. Thank you. But just trying to get more information, but have just really seen only the public reporting on this right now.
Tony?
Q: Afghanistan, and I know this is not on anybody's mind, but two weeks from now you'll get questions on this. And I don't expect you to know this now. Can you check with the general counsel's office on whether that family — the survivors of the family killed in the errant drone strike three years ago have received compensation?
MS. SINGH: If you've got the name —
Q: You weren't here for this, but you remember that it was the errant drone strike.
MS. SINGH: Yeah. Yeah, I don't have anything for you on that. I know that's something that —
Q: Check into it, though. I know you don't and I'm not expecting that. But you're going to get that question and it's — you need to answer that as an institution.
MS. SINGH: Yeah. I'm not aware, Tony, of anything, but I will — I can check and get back to you.
Q: Because it's going to be topical —
MS. SINGH: Yeah.
Q: In a week and a half from now. Thank you.
MS. SINGH: Yeah.
Q: If I can follow up, if there hasn't been a payment or an evacuation, which was among the things that were promised, why that hasn't happened three years in? That was something that the secretary personally said he was committed to making happen.
MS. SINGH: Happy to take the question.
Q: Thank you.
MS. SINGH: Yeah. All right, great. Thanks, everyone.