Kathrine Frich
American fighters were launched on Wednesday when Russian warplanes edged into the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone.
American fighters were launched on Wednesday when Russian warplanes edged into the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone.
US jets scramble over Alaska after new Russian approach
It was the third such intercept this month, and the ninth this year.
The repeated encounters are routine in one sense, but they are also raising nerves across the region.
What NORAD tracked and why it mattered
NORAD reported two Tu-95 bombers and two Su-35 fighters operating inside the ADIZ. Nine U.S. aircraft moved to identify and shadow the formation until it turned away.
NORAD stressed that activity of this kind is not unusual and did not pose an immediate threat, yet the tempo is hard to ignore.
A drumbeat of close calls near allied airspace
Incursions and near-incursions have become a steady feature in 2025.
Each episode forces quick reactions, long sorties, and split-second decisions.
Even when nothing kinetic happens, the strain on aircrews and command centers is real.
Trump’s blunt line on Russian jets
During a meeting at the UN, President Donald Trump was asked if NATO nations should target Russian aircraft entering international airspace.
He replied: “Yes I do.”
The one-line answer startled observers and “left Zelensky visibly taken aback.”
Scandinavian airports rattled by drone chaos
Earlier this week, suspected Russian drones disrupted traffic at Copenhagen and Oslo airports.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told reporters, “I cannot rule out that it is Russia.”
She added, “We have seen drones over Poland that should not have been there. We have seen activity in Romania. We have seen violations of Estonian airspace.”
NATO’s warning after drones over Poland
After Russian drones were shot down over Poland, the alliance vowed to use “all available resources” to stop further violations.
The European Commission’s Anitta Hipper said, “And here we see a clear pattern: Russia is testing the European borders, also probing our resolve and undermining our security throughout.”
The message was aimed at Moscow and at allied publics.
What an ADIZ is — and is not
An Air Defense Identification Zone is not sovereign airspace, but a buffer where states require aircraft to identify themselves.
Flying there without coordination invites interception, not automatic engagement.
Still, repeated unannounced entries raise the danger of miscalculation.
Zelensky’s ask: clarity on security guarantees
Ukraine’s president tried to keep the focus on concrete outcomes.
“These matters will be discussed in our bilateral meeting in New York,” Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“I want to gauge how close we are to understanding that security guarantees will meet our needs.” For Kyiv, air defense and allied air support remain top priorities.
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, which may have used AI in the preparation
