Jul 26. () –
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said it was the “first time we’ve seen” China and Russia “fly like that,” referring to joint patrols with nuclear bombers near the US state of Alaska in the North Pacific Ocean.
“As for the Russian and Chinese planes flying together in the north, it was not a surprise to us. We followed these planes closely, tracked them and intercepted them, which shows that the forces are prepared all the time and we have very good surveillance capabilities. (…) It is the first time we have seen these two countries fly together in this way,” Austin said at a press conference.
He also recalled that they followed them “very closely” and that they will be able to intercept them again if they carry out similar actions. “They did not enter our airspace. I believe that the closest approach point was about 200 miles (about 322 kilometers) from our coast,” he said.
Finally, he reiterated Washington’s concern about relations between Moscow and Beijing, especially the Chinese authorities’ support for the Kremlin’s “illegal and unnecessary war” on Ukrainian territory.
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