US builds up military presence in Alaska amid growing Russian activity - media

The US military is increasing its presence near Alaska, deploying fleet and ground forces, amid growing activity by Russia and China off the coast of the state. This is reported by Politico, according to UNN.

Details

"Over the past month, the destroyer USS Sterett has been deployed to the Alaskan coast in response to Russian naval vessels operating in the area, Army troops have landed on a remote Alaskan island, and fighter squadrons and other aircraft have been placed on high alert in Alaska. These actions followed a series of Russian air operations that bypassed Alaskan airspace and as Russian and Chinese warships conducted joint exercises in the Pacific Ocean near Japan," the newspaper writes.

The newspaper notes that Moscow has begun to flex its muscles in the Indo-Pacific and Arctic as its relations with China deepen, in part due to the war against Ukraine. Largely without allies in Europe with whom to cooperate, Russian ships and aircraft have conducted a series of large-scale exercises in the Pacific.

Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska expressed deep concern about the situation, noting a significant increase in the scale and frequency of Russian and Chinese military activity in the region.

"The dynamics have accelerated significantly. The Russians are using air, land, and sea assets, but they are doing so much more frequently in cooperation with China than ever before. These actions are clearly escalating," Sullivan said.

Recall

According to the media, the Russian-Chinese military exercises Ocean-2024 are part of the ongoing strengthening of military coordination between the countries. Experts note the growing complexity and geography of joint exercises amid global tensions.