NORAD intercepts Russian aircraft in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone

On February 19, Gambell residents saw strange contrails in the skies above, approaching from the west, making a wide U-turn in the bright blue sky over the island and flying back west.
About 15 minutes later, U.S. military planes showed up above St. Lawrence Island, coming from the east. According to a North American Aerospace Defense Command press release, NORAD launched two F-16s, two F-35s, one E-3, and four KC-135s to intercept, identify and escort the aircraft until they departed the Alaskan ADIZ.
“This Russian activity in the Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat,” NORAD stated.
What played out in the sky was a scene that is not out of the ordinary but is still unsettling: Russian military planes approaching Alaska, and U.S. military responding and escorting them out.
NORAD detected Russian planes and tracked two Tu-95s, two Su-35s, and one A-50 operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, or ADIZ, on Feb.19, 2026.
According to Gambell residents, these incursions and the American responses are not unusual. After seeing these contrails making sudden turns, the next day, there would be news of Russian military intercepted and escorted by the US Airforce.
Although the press release says the Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace, photos show what appears to be one of the Russian airplanes fly a U-turn right above Gambell.
Asked for clarification, if the air space above St. Lawrence Island is considered an international airspace, Canadian Armed Forces NORAD Captain Chris Dubé responded that “Due to the proximity of Alaska and Russia at their closest points (such as Gambell, St. Lawrence Island), the AKADIZ narrows considerably in these areas.”
He said in an email that while the Russian military aircraft did enter the AKADIZ, “they remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace.”
 An ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.