**Russian Planes Spotted Near Alaska**
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has detected and tracked four Russian military aircraft flying within a special air zone above Alaska.
This air zone, called the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), is an area where all planes must be identified for security reasons. The Russian planes stayed in international airspace and did not enter U.S. or Canadian territory.
NORAD said these types of incidents happen regularly. Russia‘s state news agency confirmed that Tu-95MS bombers were near Alaska as part of a planned operation.
These same type of aircraft are used by Russia to carry out large-scale missile strikes on Ukraine.
Earlier this year, U.S. and Canadian fighter jets intercepted Russian and Chinese planes in the ADIZ, and NORAD tracked four Russian warplanes in mid-August.
**Ongoing Tensions**
The incidents show ongoing tensions between Russia and NATO countries over the Arctic region. Both sides are asserting their presence in this strategically important area.
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