On Tuesday, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced that Russian warplanes were detected flying near the coast of Alaska. The U.S. military tracked the aircraft, which remained in international airspace and did not enter either American or Canadian sovereign airspace. NORAD stated that the planes were "not seen as a threat."
U.S. officials did not disclose the specific type or number of Russian aircraft involved in the incident. The planes did, however, enter the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), a region beyond sovereign airspace where aircraft are expected to identify themselves.
The ADIZ is a monitored area of international airspace adjacent to the U.S. and Canada, used for detecting all aircraft passing through. NORAD maintains surveillance in this zone for national security purposes.
This recent event follows a pattern of increased Russian military activity near Alaska. In the past few months, the U.S. military has reported similar incidents, including one in February and another in December involving Russian aircraft.
In September, Russian warplanes were also detected near Alaska, coinciding with a temporary deployment of U.S. soldiers to Shemya Island. That deployment occurred during joint military drills conducted by Russia and China, which involved several Russian aircraft and naval vessels.
13 Comments
Mariposa
I'm glad nobody was harmed, and the situation was handled without escalation. Let’s keep diplomacy open!
Bermudez
We have to trust that our military knows how to handle this. I feel safer knowing they are monitoring.
Africa
The U.S. military should be more transparent about these incidents. Hiding information won't help us feel secure.
ytkonos
Calling the Russian planes 'not a threat' is naive. What if they decide to change course next time?
lettlelenok
Why is the government downplaying this? Russian incursions should be treated as serious threats.
ytkonos
Let's not forget that military drills happen all over the world. It doesn’t mean war is imminent.
Muchacha
I think treating this as a non-threat shows strength. We cannot go on the offensive every time there's an incursion.
Mariposa
It's just routine military activity. As long as they respect our airspace and the ADIZ, I’m fine with it.
Bella Ciao
We should ensure to maintain open communication with Russia, rather than escalating tensions. Diplomacy is key!
Habibi
This is just another example of how aggressive Russia has become. We can't ignore these provocations.
Cerebro
This is, after all, international airspace. It’s normal for different countries to operate in those zones.
moshiurroney
Just because they didn’t enter ‘sovereign airspace’ doesn’t mean we should dismiss the situation. It's very concerning.
Farhanctg
I dread to think what might happen if we keep turning a blind eye to these actions by Russia. We need to be proactive.