Russian Military Ship Seen Near Alaska

A U.S. Coast Guard cutter, the Alex Haley, recently encountered a Russian ship while on routine patrol in the Aleutian Islands, specifically about 30 miles southeast of the Amukta Pass. The incident occurred within the U.S. exclusive economic zone, although the vessel was in international waters. The Coast Guard reported that while the Alex Haley did not communicate with the Russian ship, it maintained a presence to ensure U.S. interests were not disrupted in the maritime environment, as stated by Cmdr. Steven Baldovsky. This encounter is part of a series of similar incidents involving foreign military vessels in the region. On July 6, the Coast Guard spotted four Chinese military ships in the same area, and on July 24, U.S. and Canadian fighter jets intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying together in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). This marked a significant moment, as it was the first instance of joint Russian and Chinese aircraft entering the Alaska ADIZ, raising concerns about expanding military cooperation between the two nations. The Alaska ADIZ, while considered international airspace, is an area where the U.S. requires identification of all aircraft for national security purposes. Previous incidents include the detection of four Russian warplanes in the ADIZ in February and another Russian military aircraft in May 2023, highlighting ongoing tensions and the strategic importance of the region.