US military jets were scrambled to intercept Russian warplanes near Alaska, raising concerns among NATO allies about Russian airspace violations. The North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) reported detecting two Russian Tu-95s and two Su-35s in Alaska’s Air Defence Identification Zone without breaching US or Canadian airspace. In response, nine US aircraft were deployed to identify and intercept the Russian jets.
This incident marks the ninth time this year that Russian planes have been detected in the area. NORAD emphasized the importance of monitoring all aircraft in the Air Defence Identification Zone for national security purposes. Meanwhile, Danish officials are investigating unidentified drones near Copenhagen airport, and Russian drones were intercepted after entering Polish and Estonian airspace.
In a similar event in September 2024, NORAD shared a video showing a Russian jet flying dangerously close to their aircraft off the coast of Alaska. Despite these occurrences, Russian warplanes have not entered US or Canadian sovereign airspace. President Donald Trump recently suggested shooting down Russian aircraft if they breach NATO airspace, with the US president indicating support for NATO allies depending on the circumstances.
After a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Trump announced plans for direct talks between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, Putin has shown reluctance to meet Zelensky, and Moscow has escalated its attacks on Ukraine in recent days.
