U.S. Deploys Troops to Alaska Island Amid Russian Military Activity

The U.S. military has deployed approximately 130 soldiers and mobile rocket launchers to a remote island in the Aleutian chain of Alaska. This action comes in response to a rise in Russian military aircraft and naval vessels approaching U.S. territory.

In the past week alone, eight Russian military planes and four naval vessels—two of which are submarines—have been detected near Alaska. This activity coincides with joint military exercises conducted by Russia and China, prompting concerns about national security. Despite these developments, a Pentagon spokesperson reassured the public that there was no immediate threat.

This is not the first instance of Russian and Chinese military activity in the region. Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder stated during a news conference, “It’s not the first time that we’ve seen the Russians and the Chinese flying, you know, in the vicinity, and that’s something that we obviously closely monitor, and it’s also something that we’re prepared to respond to.”

As part of a “force projection operation,” the soldiers were sent to Shemya Island on September 12, located about 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage. Shemya Island is home to a U.S. Air Force air station established during World War II. The soldiers arrived with two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, known as HIMARS.

Additionally, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan from Alaska reported that the military also dispatched a guided missile destroyer and a Coast Guard vessel to the western part of the state as Russia and China engaged in their “Ocean-24” military exercises in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, which began on September 10.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has been actively monitoring these maneuvers, tracking Russian military planes over Alaska over a four-day period. On September 11, 13, 14, and 15, two planes were recorded each day operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone. This zone lies beyond U.S. sovereign airspace but still requires aircraft to identify themselves to maintain safety.

The Russian Embassy in the U.S. has not provided a response regarding these recent military movements. NORAD has noted that the frequency of such incursions varies from year to year. On average, there are around six to seven intercepts annually, with 26 Russian planes entering the Alaska zone last year and a total of 25 so far this year.

In many previous encounters, the military has shared images of Russian warplanes being escorted by U.S. or Canadian aircraft. However, no visuals from the past week have been released, and a NORAD spokeswoman declined to comment on whether jets were scrambled to intercept the Russian planes this time.

In another related incident, the Coast Guard reported spotting four Chinese military ships north of the Amchitka Pass in the Aleutians, which were operating in international waters but within the U.S. exclusive economic zone.

On Sunday, the Coast Guard’s homeland security vessel, the 418-foot Stratton, was conducting routine patrols in the Chukchi Sea when it tracked four Russian Federation Navy vessels approximately 60 miles northwest of Point Hope, Alaska. These vessels, which included two submarines, a frigate, and a tugboat, had crossed into U.S. waters to avoid sea ice, an action permitted under international laws.

Two years ago, U.S. Coast Guard crews encountered a formation of three Chinese and four Russian naval vessels just 85 miles north of Alaska’s Kiska Island in the Bering Sea.

In August 2023, the U.S. Navy had sent four destroyers to the Alaskan coast after detecting 11 Chinese and Russian warships patrolling in international waters within the Exclusive Economic Zone.

Maj. Gen. Ryder emphasized that the recent uptick in military activity is being closely monitored but does not pose a threat, according to the Pentagon’s evaluation.

Senator Sullivan has advocated for increasing military resources in the Aleutians and stressed the need for a strong U.S. response to the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. He mentioned, “In the past two years, we’ve seen joint Russian-Chinese air and naval exercises off our shores and a Chinese spy balloon floating over our communities. These escalating incidents demonstrate the critical role the Arctic plays in great power competition between the U.S., Russia, and China.”

He called for the reactivation of the naval base at Adak, which has been closed since 1997, arguing that strengthening U.S. military presence in this strategic area is essential to countering foreign threats.

Simultaneously, Russia has stepped up its military efforts in the Arctic, highlighted by President Putin’s recent unveiling of two nuclear submarines, showcasing a significant strategic shift in the region.