Russian war games near Alaska

The Russian navy conducted major war games near Alaska involving dozens of ships and aircraft, the military said yesterday, the biggest such drills in the area since Soviet times.

Russia’s navy chief, Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, said that more than 50 warships and about 40 aircraft were taking part in the exercise in the Bering Sea, which involved multiple practice missile launches.

“We are holding such massive drills there for the first time ever,” Yevmenov said in a statement released by the Russian Defense Ministry.

Yevmenov emphasized that the war games are part of Russia’s efforts to boost its presence in the Arctic region and protect its resources.

The Russian military has rebuilt and expanded numerous facilities across t he polar region i n recent years, revamping runways and deploying additional air defense assets.

Russia has prioritised boosting its military presence in the Arctic region, believed to hold up to one- quarter of the Earth’s undiscovered oil and gas. Russian President Vladimir Putin cited estimates putting the value of Arctic mineral riches at $ 30 trillion.