Coast Guard finds Russian military vessel near Alaska: ‘We met presence with presence’

A Russian intelligence vessel was spotted by the Coast Guard on Monday while plying waters within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, less than 200 nautical miles offshore.

The U.S. vessel Alex Haley detected a Russian Vishnya-class vessel while on patrol in the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska. They did not establish communications. The U.S. vessel, known as “The Bulldog of the Bering,” followed the other on its eastward course.

"We met presence with presence to ensure there were no disruptions to U.S. interests in the maritime environment around Alaska," Commander Steven Baldovsky, commanding officer of the Alex Haley, explained.

Keeping an eye on Alaska

The incident comes less than two weeks after U.S. and Canadian fighter jets intercepted Russian and Chinese bombers miles off the coast of Alaska in an unprecedented joint exercise. Last month, the Coast Guard found four vessels from the People's Republic of China in the same waters.

"Over the last number of years, China has been confronting Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan with provocative naval and air exercises," explains Lawrence Kadish in an article for VOZ: "Now add the United States to their list of targets."

The Russian-Chinese incursions, he also explains, did not violate U.S. space, because that is not their plan for the time being. He notes, moreover, that "while the world's attention is focused on the Middle East," it would be "wise" to also look at the area around Alaska.