On Wednesday (September 24), the United States and Canada scrambled multiple fighter jets to intercept four Russian military aircraft approaching the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). The recent frequent appearances of Russian military aircraft near NATO borders have once again raised security concerns among Western countries.
According to a statement from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the intercepted aircraft included two Tu-95 strategic bombers and two Su-35 fighter jets. Although the Russian aircraft did not enter the sovereign airspace of the US and Canada, flying in international airspace near Alaska triggered alertness within NORAD.
NORAD stated that the US swiftly dispatched an E-3 early warning aircraft, four F-16 fighter jets, and four KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft to successfully identify and intercept the Russian aircraft.
NORAD emphasized that Russian military aircraft activities in the ADIZ are “not uncommon” and are generally not considered direct threats. However, Russia’s continuous dispatch of aircraft near North America and Europe in recent months indicates its intention to continue strategic probing of the West.
In late August this year, a Russian Ilyushin Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft flew for an extended period in the vicinity of the Aleutian Islands, causing alertness among US forces who intercepted it. According to NORAD statistics, there were 12 similar incidents in 2024, and as of present in 2025, several instances of Russian aircraft approaching North American airspace have been recorded.
The Alaska incident comes at a time when Europe remains highly vigilant amid Russia’s military actions in Ukraine, and multiple NATO member countries have experienced similar incidents recently.
Just days before this interception, Estonia reported a violation of its airspace by Russian MiG-31 jets and invoked Article 4 of the NATO Charter, convening alliance members for security consultations. Poland also shot down a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle that entered its airspace in early September, the first such incident since the 2022 Russo-Ukrainian War.
Danish officials are still investigating a recent incident where a large drone trespassed into Copenhagen Airport earlier this week, with authorities stating that these drones were operated by a “capable actor.”
At the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, US President Trump stated that NATO countries have the “right to shoot down Russian military aircraft violating their airspace.” He affirmed that the US will stand with its allies to confront any form of threat from Russia and warned that “continued Russian provocations will have serious consequences.”
On the Russian side, they have denied violating NATO airspace, claiming that the flights were routine missions to Kaliningrad.
While NORAD has clarified that the current Russian aircraft do not pose a direct threat to North American mainland, it emphasizes that all unidentified aircraft entering the ADIZ must be immediately identified. This airspace serves as a transitional zone between international airspace and sovereign territory, holding strategic significance for the North American defense system.