CNN —A Russian and Chinese naval patrol consisting of several vessels operated off the coast of Alaska last week, defense officials and lawmakers said over the weekend – a show of force that prompted a US military response but did not pose a threat to the US or Canada, a US Northern Command spokesperson told CNN. NORTHCOM and the North American Aerospace Defense Command deployed planes and ships to monitor the Russian and Chinese patrol, which stayed in international waters, the spokesperson said. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski said in a statement Saturday that a total of 11 Russian and Chinese vessels had been operating near the Aleutian Islands, and were met in response by four US Navy destroyers. “For that reason, I was heartened to see that this latest incursion was met with four U.S. Navy destroyers, which sends a strong message to (Chinese President) Xi Jinping and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin that the United States will not hesitate to protect and defend our vital national interests in Alaska,” Sullivan said. Russia and China have intensified their defense and economic partnership considerably since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, according to a July US intelligence report, and the countries have repeatedly pledged to strengthen their military ties.

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Persons: Alaska’s Republican Sens, Dan Sullivan, Lisa Murkowski, Murkowski, Sullivan, Liu Pengyu, ” Sullivan, Xi Jinping, Vladimir, Putin Organizations: CNN, Northern Command, NORTHCOM, North American Aerospace Defense Command, Alaska’s Republican, US Navy, Alaska Command, US Coast Guard, U.S . Navy Locations: Alaska, Canada, U.S, Aleutians, Russian, United States, Russia, China, Ukraine