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Chinese Y-20 planes seen at Russian airport on same day as patrol near Alaska

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Chinese Y-20 planes seen at Russian airport on same day as patrol near Alaska


The joint patrol marked the first time Russia and China jointly deployed bombers near Alaska, signalling the deepening of military ties between the two countries.

The report argued that the Chinese bombers, with a range of about 6,000km (3,728 miles), could not make round trips from China to the Bering Sea, and thus was likely to have taken off from a nearby Russian airport.

“Therefore, it is very likely that the H-6K was deployed from a base in Russia in order to reach the Arctic,” the report stated.

The centre observed Russian airfields with a high-resolution optical satellite and they confirmed that two large Y-20 transport aircraft of the Chinese air force were deployed at the Anadyr airfield.

“They are believed to have come to support the H-6K,” the report said.

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The Y-20 Kunpeng transport plane, nicknamed the “chubby girl”, can carry out long-distance air transport of goods and personnel, while its Y-20U variant can refuel other Chinese military aircraft.

Fu Qianshao, a mainland analyst, said the Y-20 could also provide support for other warplanes in their long-distance operations.

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In November 2022, the Y-20U tanker joined patrols with the H-6K and J-16 fighters in a China-Russia joint patrol.

Exactly how the Chinese H-6Ks went beyond their range to approach Alaska in the most recent patrol is still unknown.

Zhang Xuefeng, a mainland military analyst, was quoted in an article in the state-owned Global Times last month as saying July’s patrol marked “the farthest distance that a Chinese bomber has ever carried out a strategic cruise mission from mainland China”.

Zhang also said it was “very likely” that the Chinese bombers took off from Russia.

There has been no public information about recent deployment of the Y-20 from a Russian airfield.

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Both countries confirmed the joint patrol without giving details about their routes.

Chinese defence ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said at a regular briefing last week that it was the eighth strategic patrol conducted by the two countries.

The Chinese and Russian bombers were detected and intercepted off the coast of Alaska by the North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) on July 24.

It was the first report of a Chinese H-6 flying into the ADIZ – an international airspace that acts as a buffer zone around sovereign territory. The ready identification of all aircraft is required within the ADIZ.

A rough map released by a pro-Kremlin blogger, the Rybar military channel on Telegram, also suggested the bombers from the two countries took off together from Anadyr airfield, Newsweek reported on Tuesday.

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If so, it would mark the first time assets from both air forces have shared a base of operations, the report said.

China and Russia continued to strengthen their military cooperation with regular joint patrols and exercises.

Last month, Moscow and Beijing wrapped up their fourth joint naval patrol in the northern and western Pacific Ocean.

Also last month, multiple Chinese military warships were spotted off the coast of Alaska, the US Coast Guard announced.



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Alaska

Kasilof River Sockeye Salmon Limits Increased

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Kasilof River Sockeye Salmon Limits Increased


 

Spawning Coho. Image-BLM

(Soldotna) – To allow anglers additional harvest opportunity of Kasilof River sockeye salmon, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is increasing the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon, 16 inches or greater in length, to six fish per day and twelve fish in possession; however, no more than two salmon per day and two in possession may be coho salmon, in all portions of the Kasilof River open to salmon fishing. These provisions are effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, June 26 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, December 31, 2026.

The biological escapement goal on the Kasilof River is 140,000-320,000 sockeye salmon. Through June 23, a total of 117,665 sockeye salmon have passed the Kasilof River sonar site. The current escapement of sockeye salmon into the Kasilof River is proceeding at a rate that is projected to exceed the biological escapement goal.

In addition to increasing the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon, ADF&G issued emergency order 2-RS-1-32-26 expanding the area open to the personal use dip net fishery on the Kasilof River.

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For additional information, please contact the Soldotna ADF&G office at (907) 262-9368.



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Crews continue making progress on Delta Fires

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Crews continue making progress on Delta Fires


A White Mountain Crewmember feels for any remaining heat along the Rapeseed Fire (#275) outside of Delta Junction on June 24 2026. Photo/ Sam Porter

#222 Granite Fire– The Clackamas Crew joined the Southwest Type 1 Crew and TCC Squad A on the Granite Fire today. The fire is now 85% contained. 
A thermal detection drone was flown over the fire to identify any remaining heat. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place and will continue tomorrow, meaning aircraft and drones that are not supporting firefighting operations are prohibited from flying over or near the incident. 
Crews are also checking windrows for remaining heat. Windrows are rows of trees left standing to reduce wind erosion on farmland. Firefighters will pile and burn dead or downed trees, as well as hazard trees with burned roots. 

#257 Barley 2 Fire– All personnel have been demobilized from the Barley 2 Fire after it was declared contained and controlled. The fire will remain in monitor status. This will be the last update for this fire unless significant changes occur.

#268 Moosehead Fire– A boat is transporting TCC Squad C to the Moosehead Fire, where they are gridding the interior and checking for any remaining heat. 

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The White Mountain T2IA crew stand in an arc, gridding the fire, looking for any smoke or heat. Photo/ Sam Porter

#275 Rapeseed Fire- The Rapeseed Fire is 80% contained. The White Mountain Type 2 Initial Attack Crew is constructing sawline and cold trailing the fire’s edge to locate and extinguish any remaining heat. 
A Nodwell continues to provide an effective way to transport personnel, equipment, supplies, and water through the remote, sensitive terrain while supporting suppression efforts. 
 
#223 Pogo and #226 Shaw Fires continue to be in monitor status. 

Map of Delta Area Fires. Click to download or enlarge
‹ More Firefighters Heading to Ambler for Jade Fire

Categories: Active Wildland Fire, Alaska DNR – Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DFFP)

Tags: #FireYear2026 #2026AKFIRESEASON, 2026 Alaska Fire Season, Delta, Granite Fire, Moosehead Fire, Pogo Fire, Rapeseed Fire, Shaw Fire

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Characteristics of Leadership: Recklessness – Alaska Business Magazine

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Characteristics of Leadership: Recklessness – Alaska Business Magazine


Picture it: an 800-mile engineering marvel traversing Alaska’s rugged wilderness. An immense zinc mine powering Northwest Alaska’s economy. World-class sustainable harvests feeding global markets with seafood.

The Trans Alaska Pipeline System, Red Dog mine, and the Alaska fishing industry: These massive ventures represent high-stakes investments in infrastructure and resources that have transformed Alaska into a powerhouse of global energy, minerals, and food. Today, we call these ventures inspired, but that label masks a fundamental nuance and common misconception: there is a distinction between the risky and the reckless.

That line between bold visionary and reckless gambler is usually written in ink only after the dust settles and the checks clear. Winners are often labeled as geniuses while thousands of leaders who made similar bets but went bust are ignored. When you see any winner in the marketplace, their strategy can look like a guaranteed blueprint for success. This is survivorship bias in action, obsessing over the front-runners while ignoring the graveyard of those who made the same choices. Recklessness is a classic leadership trap, in part, because it is very easy to mistake good luck for repeatable strategy. Our brains are wired to find patterns in chaos, even when they don’t exist, and when a gamble pays off, it is easy to invent a story to explain why it worked. This explains, in part, why high-risk behavior is often rebranded as “visionary” in the business world.

Understanding the mechanics of recklessness can help a leader spot the difference between a smart move and a predictable bad one. It is the contrast between a high-wire artist using a safety net and having practiced the route, versus one who just hopes they don’t fall. The first one is making calculated moves, and the second is wishing for the best.

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