The U.S. Coast Guard spotted four Russian and Chinese military vessels in the Bering Sea Saturday.
Coast Guard officials say the joint patrol between Russian and Chinese ships shows “increased interest in the Arctic by our strategic competitors.”
An HC-130J Super Hercules airplane crew from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak saw four vessels, including Russian Border Guard and Chinese Coast Guard ships, traveling together about 440 miles southwest of St. Lawrence Island, according to a Tuesday press release.
According to the statement, the vessels were about five miles inside the Russian Exclusive Economic Zone, a portion of the ocean where Russia has control over natural resources. It’s the northernmost location that the U.S. Coast Guard has observed Chinese Coast Guard vessels.
“The demand for Coast Guard services across the region continues to grow, requiring continuous investment in our capabilities to meet our strategic competitors’ presence and fulfill our statutory missions across an expanding operational area,” said Rear Adm. Megan Dean, commander of the 17th Coast Guard District.
This is the third time since July that the Coast Guard has reported encountering either Russian or Chinese military vessels in the region. Roughly two years ago, crews encountered Russian and Chinese warships traveling together about 75 miles north of Kiska Island, in the Western Aleutians. And in 2023, U.S. Navy warships were dispatched to the Aleutians, after 11 Chinese and Russian military vessels were found operating in the region.
The federal government has also raised alarms and released a new strategy to address the countries’ recent cooperation in the Arctic. It includes deepening engagement with allies, monitoring through intelligence collection and performing regular training in the Arctic.
