U.S. Senators Murkowski and Sullivan release Statements on Chinese and Russian Vessels off the Coast of Aleutians

The Alaskan Senators said the incident was a stark reminder of Alaska’s essential role in U.S. national defense and territorial sovereignty.

This weekend, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan released a statement regarding the 11 Chinese and Russian military vessels that were operating off the coast of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska last week. The Republican Senators expressed concerns over the incident and claimed to have been briefed on the matter by military officials.

“We have been in close contact with leadership from Alaska Command for several days now and received detailed classified briefings about the foreign vessels that are transiting U.S. waters in the Aleutians,” said Senator Murkowski. “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.”

Senator Murkowski added that incursions like this showcased the need to secure increased funding and resources to expand U.S. military’s capacity and capabilities in Alaska.

Senator Sullivan said the incursion was a reminder of a changing security landscape, defined by “authoritarian aggression led by the dictators in Beijing and Moscow.”

“In recognition of this reality and our state’s unrivaled strategic location, for years, I’ve been pressing the Navy and each successive administration to commit to a greater Naval, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps presence in Alaska, more Arctic-capable vessels, and more infrastructure to host these assets, like the deep-water port of Nome,” said Senator Sullivan.

Last summer, a similar incursion took place off the coast of Alaska and the Senator praised the U.S. Navy for its more robust response this time around.

“Given that our response was tepid, I strongly encouraged senior military leaders to be ready with a much more robust response should such another joint Chinese/Russian naval operation occur off our coast,” said Senator Sullivan. “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 Xi Jinping and Putin that the United States will not hesitate to protect and defend our vital national interests in Alaska.”

Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told CNN that the operation was according to an annual cooperation plan between the Chinese and Russian militaries and claimed the action was “not targeted at any third party and has nothing to do with the current international and regional situation”.