(Daily360.com) The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) identified four Russian military aircrafts near Alaska on May 2. The fighter jets did not enter U.S. or Canadian air space and stayed within the international air space. A Russian military official acknowledged that they sent strategic bombers on an 11 hour trip above the Bering Sea. At particular moments during the flight, there were jets from other foreign countries alongside the Russian aircrafts.
Russia regularly has military jets operating in the airspace where they were detected on May 2. The country that owns the jets accompanying the Russian fighter jets is unknown at this time. Russian aircrafts have been identified near the same airspace in February 2024 and August of 2023.
Concerns have been raised about a potential conflict with Russia in the aftermath of the U.S. approving $60 billion in aid to Ukraine for the conflict that began in 2022. Russia’s President Vladamir Putin announced on May 6 that they will be performing “tactical nuclear weapons” exercises in response to threats from the United States as well as France and Britain.
The Russian defense ministry said the goal is to protect its territory and sovereignty. The defense ministry is responding to “provocative threats” from “Western officials” against Russia.
President Biden, in a statement last year, said the potential for a nuclear attack from Russia is unlikely. A Ukrainian official said that Russia often uses “nuclear blackmail” as a defense strategy and that there is nothing new regarding Putin’s recent statements.
Amid the 2024 presidential election, Putin said in February that he prefers the “predictable” behaviors of President Biden over Trump which Trump said is a “great compliment.” In a March speech, Biden said that he would not bow down to Russia, unlike Trump. During the same speech, Biden encouraged Congress to pass the Ukrainian aid package. Biden also strongly denounced statements Trump made about NATO that has caused concern about Trump potentially getting the United States out of NATO if he wins the presidential election.
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