Chinese and Russian vessels that recently operated near the Aleutian Islands should serve as a wake-up call to increase funding for military capabilities in the region, Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan said in a joint statement on Saturday. “The incursion by 11 Chinese and Russian warships operating together – off the coast of Alaska – is yet another reminder that we have entered a new era of authoritarian aggression led by the dictators in Beijing and Moscow,” Sullivan said. While the Russian and Chinese ships did not enter American waters, they were closely monitored by four U.S. destroyers and P-8 Poseidon aircraft, the WSJ report said. “This is a stark reminder of Alaska’s proximity to both China and Russia, as well as the essential role our state plays in our national defense and territorial sovereignty,” she said. “Last summer the Chinese and Russian navies conducted a similar operation off the coast of Alaska,” he said.
