Tense Air Encounter: Russian Jet's Provocative Maneuver Near Alaska

Military officials released a video showing a Russian fighter jet buzzing a U.S. Air Force F-16 near Alaska on September 23. NORAD condemned the Russian plane's unsafe maneuvers. This incident follows recent Russian and Chinese military activity near Alaska, sparking calls for increased U.S. military presence in the region.

Military officials have released a new video of a startling encounter between a Russian fighter jet and a U.S. Air Force F-16 near Alaska. The video, unveiled on Monday, shows the Russian aircraft coming from behind and swooping just feet away from the American jet.

The interception, directed by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), occurred on September 23 following a series of Russian incursions into the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone. NORAD's top officer and an Alaska senator condemned the unsafe maneuvers of the Russian pilot.

This close pass follows weeks of heightened military activity, with Russian and Chinese planes and naval vessels conducting joint drills near Alaska. The U.S. has responded by temporarily deploying approximately 130 soldiers and rocket launchers to Shemya Island. Calls for strengthening America's military presence in Alaska and the Arctic have intensified in reaction to these events.

(With inputs from agencies.)