The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said it spotted a Russian military aircraft off the coast of Alaska on Sunday for the fourth time since 9/11, amid rising tensions between the US and Russia.
Two Russian IL-38 military aircraft operating within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) were detected and tracked on Sunday, NORAD said in a news release.
NORAD said the plane remained in international airspace and did not enter U.S. or Canadian airspace, adding that Russian activity in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone is routine and is not considered a threat.
Russian military planes spotted off Alaska coast, Putin threatens war with NATO
Two Russian military aircraft were detected and tracked flying in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone on Sunday, the fourth time in the past week. (Getty Images)
NORAD said the aircraft involved in the other three incidents, which occurred last Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, also remained within international airspace within Alaska's ADIZ and were not considered a threat.
The United States and Canada, which make up NORAD, intercepted several Russian military aircraft for the first time on Wednesday.
On Friday, two TU-142s were detected by NORAD, and on Saturday, two Russian IL-38 planes, the same type intercepted in Sunday's incident, were intercepted.
All four aircraft involved in the accidents remained within international airspace and did not enter U.S. or Canadian airspace. (Getty Images)
NORAD said the ADIZ is a defined area of international airspace that begins where sovereign airspace ends and where national security interests require all aircraft to be immediately identified.
NORAD said it employs a multi-layered defense network of satellites, ground and airborne radars and fighter jets to detect and track aircraft and signal appropriate action. The company said it is prepared to employ several response options to defend North America.
The Biden administration is under increasing pressure to allow Russia to attack Ukraine with US missiles.
NORAD said none of the aircraft involved in the four incidents were considered a threat. (Getty Images)
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U.S. officials said at the time that NORAD had intercepted two Russian and Chinese bombers flying near Alaska earlier this summer, marking the first time the two countries had been intercepted during a joint operation.
