Alaska

Alaska sees increased Russian naval and flight incursions

Published

1 year ago

September 21, 2024

Alaska sees increased Russian naval and flight incursions

Last week, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, and the U.S. Coast Guard detected and tracked four separate incursions of Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone and one incursion of Russian naval vessels in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.
The U.S. Coast Guard located four Russian Federation Navy vessels Sunday, Sept 14, about 57 miles northwest of Point Hope. While on a routine patrol in the Chukchi Sea, the crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton observed the Russian vessels transiting southeast along the Russian side of the maritime boundary line.
The crew of the Stratton witnessed the Russian vessels cross the border line into the U.S Arctic. The Russian vessels were assessed to be avoiding sea ice on the Russian side of the border. They operated in accordance with international rules and customs as they transited approximately 30 miles into the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. “We are actively patrolling our maritime border in the Bering Sea, Bering Strait and Chukchi Sea, with our largest and most capable cutters and aircraft, to protect U.S. sovereign interests, U.S. fish stocks, and to promote international maritime norms,” said Rear Adm. Megan Dean, Commander of Coast Guard District Seventeen. “Coast Guard Cutter Stratton ensured there were no disruptions to U.S. interests.”
The Russian vessels consisted of two submarines, a frigate and a tug.
Prior to the naval incursion, NORAD detected and tracked two Russian TU-142 military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone on Sept. 13, 2024 and then again on Sept. 14 and 15, when NORAD tracked four Russian IL-38 military aircraft.
The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. This Russian activity in the Alaska ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat, said a NORAD press release.
According to U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Russia and China began the Ocean-24 military exercises on Sept. 10 in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans. Sullivan said this marks Russia’s largest joint naval and air drill since the Cold War. China and Russia conducted a similar exercise near Alaska in July.
“As the world becomes more dangerous, Alaska continues to be on the frontlines of authoritarian aggression,” Senator Sullivan said. “Coordinated activity off Alaska’s shores by the Russians and Chinese is increasing: On five separate occasions in the past seven days, Russian military incursions into our ADIZ or EEZ have occurred – both naval and air. In the past two years, we’ve seen joint Russian-Chinese air and naval exercises off our shores and a Chinese spy balloon floating over our communities. These escalating incidents demonstrate the critical role the Arctic plays in great power competition between the U.S., Russia, and China.”
The U.S. Army’s 11th Airborne Division announced the deployment of more than 100 soldiers to the Aleutian Islands in response to increased Russian and Chinese activity near Alaska. (see story on page 7). According to Sullivan, the U.S. military has also deployed a guided missile destroyer and a Coast Guard cutter to the western region of Alaska. Sullivan called for a more permanent response like “reopening the Navy base at Adak, Alaska, which I have been pressing to be done for years.”
“Authoritarian regimes are testing the United States,” Sullivan said. “Dictators like Vladimir Putin see through a lens of either strength or weakness, which is why I’ve long encouraged our senior military leaders to be ready and to respond with strength.”
Governor Mike Dunleavy also weighed in and called for more military investments in Alaska. “Alaska’s strategic position on the globe gives the United States an advantage in the Arctic and the Pan Pacific, but we need leaders in Washington to recognize that Russia and China are increasing their military presence in the region, and the U.S. must increase its military investment in Alaska if we are to continue to ensure protection of our people and resources,” Dunleavy said.
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Alaska

Musician performs under the aurora in Nenana — without gloves, in 17 degrees

Published

57 minutes ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Musician performs under the aurora in Nenana — without gloves, in 17 degrees

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – A musician with Alaska Native roots recorded an hour-long live set in Interior Alaska beneath the aurora.

Chastity Ashley, a drummer, vocalist and DJ who performs under the name Neon Pony, celebrated a year since she traveled to Nenana to record a live music set beneath the northern lights for her series Beats and Hidden Retreats.

Ashley, who has Indigenous roots in New Mexico, said she was drawn to Alaska in part because of the role drums play in Alaska Native culture. A handmade Alaskan hand drum, brought to her by a man from just outside Anchorage, was incorporated into the performance in February 2025.

Recording in the cold

The team spent eight days in Nenana waiting for the aurora to appear. Ashley said the lights did not come out until around 4 a.m., and she performed a continuous, uninterrupted hour-long set in 17-degree weather without gloves.

“It was freezing. I couldn’t wear gloves because I’m actually playing, yeah, hand drums and holding drumsticks. And there was ice underneath my feet,” Ashley said.

“So, I had to really utilize my balance and my willpower and my ability to just really immerse in the music and let go and make it about the celebration of what I was doing as opposed to worrying about all the other elements or what could go wrong.”

She said she performed in a leotard to allow full range of motion while drumming, DJing and singing.

Filming on Nenana tribal land

Ashley said she did not initially know the filming location was on indigenous land. After local authorities told her the decision was not theirs to make, she contacted the Nenana tribe directly for permission.

“I went into it kind of starting to tell them who I was and that I too was a part of a native background,” Ashley said. “And they just did not even care. They’re like, listen, we’re about to have a party for one of our friends here. Go and do what you like.”

Ashley said the tribe gave her full permission to film on the reservation, and that the aurora footage seen in the episode was captured there.

Seeing the aurora for the first time

Ashley said the Nenana performance marked her first time seeing the northern lights in person.

“It felt as if I were awake in a dream,” she said. “It really doesn’t seem real.”

She said she felt humbled and blessed to perform beneath the aurora and to celebrate its beauty and grandeur through her music.

“I feel incredibly humbled and blessed that not only did I get to take part in seeing something like that, but to play underneath it and celebrate its beauty and its grandeur.”

The Alaska episode is the second installment of Beats and Hidden Retreats, which is available on YouTube at @NeonPony. Ashley said two additional episodes are in production and she hopes to make it back up to Alaska in the future.

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Alaska

Over $150K worth of drugs seized from man in Juneau, police say

Published

13 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Over 0K worth of drugs seized from man in Juneau, police say

JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU) – An Alaska drug task force seized roughly $162,000 worth of controlled substances during an operation in Juneau Thursday, according to the Juneau Police Department.

Around 3 p.m. Thursday, investigators with the Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs (SEACAD) approached 50-year-old Juneau resident Jermiah Pond in the Nugget Mall parking lot while he was sitting in his car, according to JPD.

A probation search of the car revealed a container holding about 7.3 gross grams of a substance that tested presumptively positive for methamphetamine, as well as about 1.21 gross grams of a substance that tested presumptively positive for fentanyl.

As part of the investigation, investigators executed a search warrant at Pond’s residence, during which they found about 46.63 gross grams of ketamine, 293.56 gross grams of fentanyl, 25.84 gross grams of methamphetamine and 25.5 gross grams of MDMA.

In all, it amounted to just less than a pound of drugs worth $162,500.

Investigators also seized $102,640 in cash and multiple recreational vehicles believed to be associated with the investigation.

Pond was lodged on charges of second-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, two counts of third-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, five counts of fourth-degree misconduct involving a substance and an outstanding felony probation warrant.

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Alaska

Sand Point teen found 3 days after going missing in lake

Published

1 day ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Sand Point teen found 3 days after going missing in lake

SAND POINT, Alaska (KTUU) – A teenage boy who was last seen Monday when the canoe he was in tipped over has been found by a dive team in a lake near Sand Point, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Alaska’s News Source confirmed with the person, who is close to the search efforts, that the dive team found 15-year-old Kaipo Kaminanga deceased Thursday in Red Cove Lake, located a short drive from the town of Sand Point on the Aleutian Island chain.

Kaminanga was last seen canoeing with three other friends on Monday when the boat tipped over.

A search and rescue operation ensued shortly after.

Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team posted on Facebook Thursday night that they were able to “locate and recover” Kaminanga at around 5 p.m. Thursday.

“We are glad we could bring closure to his family, friends and community,” the post said.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated when more details become available.

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