Sen. Lisa Murkowski has a theory about why Russian President Vladimir Putin has been conducting joint military exercises in the Arctic with China.
“He wants the world to see that he can prosecute his illegal and heinous war against Ukraine and at the same time demonstrate military strength in the Arctic and in other parts of the world,” she said.
Murkowski spoke after attending a secure briefing at the Senate Tuesday with the head of the U.S. Northern Command.
The exercises have been ongoing since Sept. 10, boosting the number of Russian aircraft and ships that have come close to Alaska.
Putin is strengthening his alliances with China, North Korea and Iran as a power move, to counter the West, Murkowski said, adding that it’s the joint nature of the Arctic exercise that’s unusual.
“We get that Russia, as our neighbor in the Arctic, is expected to be up there, but not necessarily with China holding their hand,” she said. “And that’s what we’re seeing. That’s where the concern is.”
The U.S. needs to demonstrate the strength of its own alliances with joint military exercises and to stick by its allies so that Ukraine prevails against Russia, she said.
The U.S. deployed more than 100 soldiers to Shemya Island, in the Aleutians, late last week, and sent a rocket system known as HIMARS that shoots ballistic missiles.
Sen. Dan Sullivan’s office declined an interview request. He issued a statement saying the escalating number of incidents shows the need for a larger and more permanent military presence in Alaska.
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
