Russia recently deployed a fleet of Tu-95MS, Su-30, and Su-35S aircraft in the airspace near Alaska, prompting the US Air Force to dispatch F-16s to monitor the situation. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, two Tu-95MS bombers carried out a planned flight over international airspace in the Bering Sea, near the west coast of Alaska, escorted by fighter jets. The flight lasted over 11 hours, with images showing the squadron departing from the base at dawn.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the Russian Strategic Air Force routinely operates in international airspace in various regions, including the Arctic, North Atlantic, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and Pacific Ocean, in compliance with international regulations. The North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) reported the presence of Russian military aircraft in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), emphasizing that the aircraft remained in international airspace and did not violate US airspace. NORAD clarified that Russian military activities in the Alaska ADIZ were regular and not deemed as a threat.
Since 2007, Russian military aircraft have regularly entered the Alaska ADIZ, located about 200 nautical miles off the state’s west coast, without breaching US airspace. Both Russia and the US engage in professional and safe monitoring activities when aircraft approach each other’s territories. This situation highlights ongoing monitoring and surveillance measures taken by both countries in