Read, Watch or Listen

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) intercepted a Russian IL-20 Coot reconnaissance aircraft near Alaskan airspace on Tuesday. This is the latest in a series of similar incidents this year, involving Russian spy planes flying near Alaska's Air Defense Identification Zone. While Russian military activity in this zone is common and not considered a threat, NORAD scrambled fighter jets to monitor the aircraft, as they are required to identify themselves upon entry. These incidents follow previous encounters, including one in September 2024 where a Russian Su-35 jet's actions were deemed unsafe by a U.S. general.

Prepared by Rachel Morgan and reviewed by editorial team.