The US Aerospace Defense Command detected and tracked four Russian fighter jets flying within its airspace over Alaska. The activity is regular and “is not considered a threat or provocation.”
US defense officials disclosed that four Russian warplanes flew near US airspace over Alaska on Sunday, adding that this is regularly occurring activity and not considered a threat.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said Tuesday in a statement that it detected, tracked and identified four Russian aircraft within the air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
Adiz is the airspace of a country plus an additional perimeter monitored by the Armed Forces, reports the Europa Press agency.
“The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter US or Canadian sovereign airspace. This Russian activity in US Adiz occurs regularly and is not considered a threat or provocation,” NORAD said in a statement.
Since 2007, when Russia resumed its long-range aviation activity, NORAD has recorded an annual average of six to seven interceptions of Russian military aircraft.
The discovery of these fighters, including the TU-95, BEAR-H and SU-35 jets, comes the same month the United States shot down a Chinese “spy balloon” and other unidentified objects in its airspace.
Balloon shot down by US: China files formal complaint
It also occurs when the Kremlin (Russian presidency) urged the US government to investigate the alleged presence of balloons and other unidentified flying objects in its airspace without “blaming” other countries, after Washington increased tensions in relations with Peking.
The United States admitted on Tuesday that it currently has “no evidence” that the three flying machines recently shot down by the US military are of Chinese origin or have espionage functions.
For the spokesman for the National Security Council of the White House (US Presidency), John Kirby, these objects “could be balloons with harmless commercial or scientific functions.”
As for the Chinese balloon, the US authorities continue to insist on the version that it was a Chinese balloon equipped with surveillance equipment, which was part of a vast global spy program by China, despite Beijing’s denials.
Source: Observadora
