WASHINGTON (Reuters) - No senior U.S. military leaders have spoken to their Russian counterparts since Russia's invasion of Ukraine started nine days ago, the Pentagon said on Friday.

       Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley had not spoken with their counterparts.

       Prior to Russia's invasion, both Austin and Milley had spoken with their counterparts.

       (Reporting by Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart and Rami Ayyub; Editing by Chris Reese)