Russian Warplane Spotted In The Air

A Russian warplane was spotted near Alaskan airspace during several “planned, large-scale military training exercises” by the United States military, according to a report by The Daily Mail. The North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) stated that it intercepted the plane and confirmed that it did not enter either American or Canadian airspace but remained in international airspace. 

The commander added that the activity in the area is neither uncommon nor a threat. Nevertheless, the U.S. military responded accordingly, said Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder. He added that it likely will not be the last Russian plane spotted in the area. 

This marks the second time in four days that NORAD intercepted a Russian plane. Six were intercepted on May 11. 

The news comes as Russia ramped up its hypersonic missile attacks on Ukraine. The American Patriot air defense system has been used by Ukraine to knock them down, according to a report by the defense and national security website 19FortyFive. At least two of these systems made it into the country’s arsenal of Soviet-era weapons and Western military equipment donated by Western countries. 

When Ukraine first received the systems, Ukrainian Air Force commander, Mykola Oleshchuk said that their skies were more secure. But Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yurii Inhat claimed that the systems were out of date, a comment that Putin had made when talking of them. The Russian president also said that the more weapons the West sends to Ukraine the longer the conflict is going to be dragged out. 

Ukraine has also received 28 new Slovenian tanks, the M-55S. It is reportedly a “deep modernization of obsolete T-55.”

Putin has recently been criticized for his barrage of rockets into Ukraine, particularly those hitting civilian areas, including a residential building that reportedly killed 16 people.