The North American Aerospace Defense Command scrambled nine U.S. fighter jets to intercept five Russian warplanes spotted in Alaska's Air Defense Identification Zone. The Russian formation included two Tu-95 bombers, two Su-35 fighters, and one A-50 spy plane, which remained in international airspace without crossing into U.S. or Canadian territory.

NORAD responded with two F-16s, two F-35s, one E-3 early warning aircraft, and four KC-135 tankers to escort the Russian planes from the zone. The command described such Russian activity as a regular occurrence that typically poses no threat, noting similar incidents in September 2024 and earlier.

This latest intercept follows a pattern of Russian military aircraft testing U.S. and NATO readiness along Alaska's coast. The incidents occur against a backdrop of tense relations between Washington and Moscow over Ukraine, with President Trump attempting to negotiate peace while Russian President Putin demands territorial concessions that Ukraine has refused to grant.