China and Russia stage first joint bomber patrol near Alaska

Recently, China and Russia conducted their first joint bomber patrol near Alaska, marking a significant moment in their military cooperation. The patrol involved a Chinese H-6K bomber and a Russian Sukhoi Su-30CM jet fighter flying over the north Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea, which is located close to Alaska. While Russia has previously flown its bombers in this region, this was the first time that both nations collaborated in such a manner. Officials from both Moscow and Beijing stated that the patrol was 'not aimed at any third party. ' The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which monitors the airspace over the US and Canada, reported that the bombers remained in international airspace and were 'not seen as a threat. ' However, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski expressed her concerns, describing the event as an 'unprecedented provocation by our adversaries. ' She highlighted that this was the first instance of the two countries being intercepted while operating together. China insisted that the patrol had 'nothing to do with the current international and regional situation. ' According to Russian sources, the patrol included TU-95MS strategic missile carriers from Russia and Xian H-6 strategic bombers from China. The relationship between China and Russia has strengthened since the West imposed sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This growing partnership has raised alarms in the US and European nations. Earlier this month, the two countries concluded their fourth joint naval patrol in the northern and western Pacific Ocean. NATO countries recently issued a statement at the end of a summit in Washington, accusing China of being a 'decisive enabler' of Russia's war in Ukraine and urging it to 'cease all material and political support' for Russia's military efforts. In a report released on Arctic security, the US Department of Defense expressed concerns about the increasing alignment between China and Russia, predicting that their military cooperation would continue to grow. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed these concerns, asserting that Russian-Chinese cooperation in the Arctic would contribute to an atmosphere of 'stability and predictability' in the region.