On Wednesday, July 24, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced that fighter jets from Canada and the U.S. intercepted Chinese and Russian bombers off the coast of Alaska. The aircraft — two Russian TU-95s and two Chinese H-6s — were flying within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, an area where aircraft must be readily identified for national security.

On Thursday, July 25, China’s Defense Ministry announced that the Chinese and Russian air forces conducted a “joint strategic aerial patrol in the relevant airspace of the Bering Sea,” as part of their ongoing annual military cooperation plan.

“This action is not aimed at third parties, it is in line with relevant international laws and international practices and has nothing to do with the current international and regional situation,” Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for China’s Defense Ministry, said.

These bombers stayed in international airspace and didn’t enter sovereign U.S. or Canadian territory. NORAD clarified that this kind of military activity, which also occurred in May, is routine and not considered a threat.

The command emphasized its commitment to monitoring such operations, ensuring North America’s airspace remains secure.