The Joint Aviation Defense Command of North America, NORAD, reported that the United States monitored the flight path of six Russian military aircraft as they traversed the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone on Friday, May 11. The observation was shared through NORAD channels and corroborated by subsequent statements from multiple defense observers.
Accounts described the Russian aircraft being escorted by a mix of Western air defense assets, including F-16 and F-22 fighters, an E-3 AWACS airborne early warning and control aircraft, and a KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft. NORAD underscored that the Russian Aerospace Forces operated in international airspace during the encounter.
On May 12, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the commissioning of two Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers. They conducted a 13-hour scheduled flight over international waters in the Chukchi Sea region. The Tu-95MS formation was supported by MiG-31, Su-30SM, and Su-35S fighters from the Eastern Military District Air Force and Air Defense Unit.
Earlier communications from the Russian Ministry of Defense indicated that Tu-95MS missile carriers conducted air patrols during Pacific Fleet exercises, flying over neutral waters in the Bering and Okhotsk Seas. These movements are presented as part of routine operations and training activities within the broader strategic posture in the region.