A top Russian general, Valery Gerasimov, requested and held a call with U.S. Air Force General C.Q. Brown last week, marking the first communication between the two military leaders, according to Reuters.
A spokesperson for General Brown confirmed the conversation took place on November 27, according to Reuters.
“The leaders discussed a number of global and regional security issues, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine,” the spokesperson stated. At Gerasimov’s request, Brown agreed not to proactively announce the call.
This was the first direct interaction between Brown, who assumed his role as the top U.S. general last year, and his Russian counterpart. The previous contact between the military chiefs of the two nations was between Gerasimov and Brown’s predecessor, Mark Milley.
The discussion occurred amid rising tensions, as Ukraine recently launched U.S. and British-made missiles at targets within Russian territory, an action Moscow has warned would be regarded as a significant escalation.
Earlier in November, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that a Ukrainian military facility had been struck using a new medium-range, hypersonic ballistic missile known as “Oreshnik” (the hazel). In a televised address, Putin cautioned that further strikes could follow. U.S. officials confirmed that Russia had notified Washington shortly before launching the attack.