The CIA Director was dispatched to Moscow earlier this week to warn the Kremlin that the US is watching its buildup of troops near Ukraine's border closely, and to attempt to determine what is motivating Russia's actions. This was reported by CNN.
During the visit, Burns held talks with senior Kremlin security officials directly involved in the military activity. The visit came as the US has grown increasingly concerned by Russia's irregular movement of troops and equipment near Ukraine's northern border, according to multiple US and Ukrainian sources briefed on the meeting.
The Biden administration has ramped up its efforts in recent days to de-escalate growing tensions between Moscow and Kyiv. Following his meetings in Russia, Burns spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by phone in an attempt to diffuse those tensions, the sources told CNN. A senior State Department official was also dispatched to Kyiv on Thursday to support those efforts.
Burns also brought up US concerns that Russia is close to using its gas exports as leverage, with Ukraine and other European nations forecast to suffer energy crises heading into winter.
After his meetings in Moscow, Burns called Zelensky on Wednesday to convey the administration's concerns over Russia's behavior and reassure him that the US is closely tracking the Russian activity, according to a person with direct knowledge of the call.
Satellite images taken by Maxar Technologies on Monday demonstrate the kind of irregular Russian troop and equipment movements that US officials are worried about. The images show Russian troops, tanks, and artillery massing near the Russian town of Yelnya, and the Biden administration is more concerned than it was in the spring that Russia could launch an invasion, two senior US officials said.
In response to questions about the satellite images, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters this week that "the movement of military equipment or army units across the territory of the Russian Federation is exclusively our business." He added that "Russia has never threatened anyone, is not threatening, and does not pose a danger to anyone. But against the background of rather aggressive expansionist tendencies, especially on the part of NATO and other countries, Russia has always taken measures to ensure its security and will continue to do so."