Two Russian and two Chinese bombers were caught flying off the coast of Alaska on Wednesday, according to a statement by the North American Aerospace Defense Command. The joint U.S.-Canada organization said it was the first time the two countries were caught working together in such an operation, and CNN reported that the bombers were “not seen as a threat” by NORAD officials. The aircraft reportedly did not enter U.S. or Canadian sovereign airspace, and a spokesperson for the Chinese defense ministry said in a news conference Thursday that it was the eighth operation of its kind conducted by the two countries since 2019. The spokesperson explained that the air patrol was conducted for “further testing and enhancing the level of cooperation between the two air forces, as well as deepening strategic mutual trust and practical cooperation between the two countries.” Russian aircraft flying into Alaska’s air defense identification zone “occurs regularly,” a NORAD official said in May, when four aircraft from the country were spotted.
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