US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Russian counterpart Andrei Belousov on Tuesday, the Pentagon said. The conversation comes after the Russian government on Monday threatened the United States with “repercussions” following a Ukrainian attack on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula. “Naturally, the US’ direct involvement in combat which resulted in Russian civilians dying cannot go without any repercussions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday. During Tuesday’s phone call, Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid Russia’s ongoing wa…