U.S. Coast Guard Tracks Russian Naval Vessel Near Alaska

The U.S. Coast Guard says it positioned a Russian Federation Vishnya-class naval vessel south of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska.

The vessel was detected by the crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley (WMEC 39) final Monday, August 5. whereas patrolling the realm roughly 30 nautical miles southeast of Amukta Cross, Alaska.

The Russian vessel was discovered transiting in worldwide waters however throughout the U.S. Unique Financial Zone (EEZ), which extends 200 nautical miles from the U.S. shoreline. The Alex Haley didn’t set up communication with the Russian vessel however confirmed its identification and monitored its transit eastward. An HC-130 air crew from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak additionally noticed the vessel.

“As a proud Alaska-homeported cutter, we patrol to uphold maritime governance and a rules-based worldwide order. We met presence with presence to make sure there have been no disruptions to U.S. pursuits within the maritime surroundings round Alaska,” stated Cmdr. Steven Baldovsky, commanding officer of the Alex Haley.

The incident follows an analogous encounter in July involving a number of navy ships from the Folks’s Republic of China. The USCGC Kimball recognized three vessels close to the Aleutian Islands, and an extra vessel was noticed by an HC-130J aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak.

The Chinese language vessels, additionally transiting in worldwide waters throughout the U.S. EEZ, responded to U.S. Coast Guard radio communication, stating their function as “freedom of navigation operations.” The Coast Guard cutter Kimball monitored the ships till they moved south of the Aleutian Islands into the North Pacific Ocean. The Coast Guard, in coordination with U.S. Northern Command, tracked the Chinese language naval presence, noting comparable encounters within the Bering Sea in September 2021 and 2022.

The patrols by the USCGC Kimball and USCGC Alex Haley have been a part of Operation Frontier Sentinel, a mission aimed toward making certain a presence when strategic rivals function close to U.S. waters.

The incidents come because the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Healy is at present getting back from its summer time Arctic patrol early following an engineering compartment hearth on the finish of July. The Coast Guard’s solely different icebreaker, the 50-year outdated Polar Star, is just not obtainable throughout summer time as it’s present process a service life extension program.