Russians Invade Alaskan Island to Seek Asylum, Escape Military Service

[Eupher]

This will most definitely piss off Uncle Vlad. Another reason to impeach Mayorkas -- if the Russians can waltz right in on American territory without scrambling B-52s, what kind of "Dreamer" crap is Mayorkas going to shovel on Congress this time?

On a separate note, is it really that hard to spell the word "arctic?"

For years, we wondered if Russians would eventually land on Alaskan shores via boat in an attempt to gain access to the United States, and on Thursday, it finally happened. Except, they aren’t invading; they’re here asking for help in the way of asylum because the conscription life apparently isn’t for them.

According to an Associated Press report on Thursday, two Russian nationals used their geographically convenient access to the United States to escape involuntary military service as Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares to complete his goal of annexing parts of Ukraine, and perhaps reassembling a large invasion force for round two. Thousands, probably more, of Russians have already fled the Motherland in hopes that they’ll not be drafted into fighting in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The fleeing Russian men landed on the shore in Gambell, Alaska, located on the northwestern tip of St. Lawrence Island.

A BBC report provided greater detail of the journey taken by the two Russian men:

Gambell – home to less than 500 permanent residents – sits on the north-western cape of St Lawrence Island. The island is located some 36 miles (56km) from Russia’s Chukchi Peninsula, meaning it is closer to Russia than it is to the Alaskan mainland. According to local media, Gambell residents can see the Russian territory of Siberia across the sea.

A local town clerk told the KTUU news station that the men had sailed there from the city of Egvekinot in north-eastern Russia, a journey of about 300 miles by sea, and have since been flown off the island.

A spokesperson for Alaska U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s office reported that they have been in touch with the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding the Russians’ status, and confirmed that the two Russian nationals “reported that they fled one of the coastal communities on the east coast of Russia to avoid compulsory military service.”

The Alaskan senator released a statement on the developing situation, and in it, she took a shot at the near complete lack of federal immigration resources on America’s “Artic” border:

We are actively engaged with federal officials and residents in Gambell to determine who these individuals are, but right now, we already know that the federal response was lacking. Only local officials and state law enforcement had the capability to immediately respond to the asylum seekers, while Customs and Border Protection had to dispatch a Coast Guard aircraft from over 750 miles away to get on scene.

This situation underscores the need for a stronger security posture in America’s Arctic, which I have championed throughout my time in the Senate.

Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan (R) also released a statement on the matter, revealing that given the current tensions between Russia and the United States, he felt it necessary to inform Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and another top DHS official.

“I continue to be in regular communication with DHS Secretary Mayorkas and officials at Customs and Border Protection and have encouraged them to have a plan ready with the Coast Guard in the event that more Russians flee to Bering Strait communities in Alaska,” Sullivan’s statement read.

He added: “This incident makes two things clear: First, the Russian people don’t want to fight Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Second, given Alaska’s proximity to Russia, our state has a vital role to play in securing America’s national security.”

Sullivan concluded by echoing Murkowski’s concerns that the Artic border is completely unsecured and urged the Biden administration to consider adding “infrastructure, Coast Guard assets, ports and strategic defense assets” to shore up the region, especially if this marks the beginning of a new trend of hundreds, or even thousands of Russians fleeing to the United States.

BBC added that the two men’s asylum claims are currently being processed.

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/ryanledendecker/2022/10/06/russians-invade-alaskan-island-to-seek-asylum-escape-military-service-n1635218

[Ptarmigan]

The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming.

[Old n Grumpy]

On a separate note, is it really that hard to spell the word "arctic?"w

Only for the liberal media

[SVPete]

If one looks where St. Lawrence Island and Gambell are on a map, it's pretty obvious why locating Coast Guard or military assets there would be difficult and appear to the USSR or Russia as a threat. It's also pretty obvious how a small ocean-going boat could pretty easily cross over to Gambell basically unobserved.

[Eupher]

If one looks where St. Lawrence Island and Gambell are on a map, it's pretty obvious why locating Coast Guard or military assets there would be difficult and appear to the USSR or Russia as a threat. It's also pretty obvious how a small ocean-going boat could pretty easily cross over to Gambell basically unobserved.

How obvious would a 300-mile incursion be to someone who's paying attention?

[SVPete]

How obvious would a 300-mile incursion be to someone who's paying attention?

When only ~36 miles of it had to be in open water, very likely not very. From the article:

The island is located some 36 miles (56km) from Russia’s Chukchi Peninsula

The safest route weather-wise would have been to stay close to the Chukchi Peninsula coast until making the open water crossing to St. Lawrence Island. Since fishing and whaling are significant economic activities for the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, one small-moderate sized craft among many operating in the peninsula's coastal waters would be unlikely to attract much Russian attention, and even less American attention.

[Eupher]

When only ~36 miles of it had to be in open water, very likely not very. From the article:

The safest route weather-wise would have been to stay close to the Chukchi Peninsula coast until making the open water crossing to St. Lawrence Island. Since fishing and whaling are significant economic activities for the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, one small-moderate sized craft among many operating in the peninsula's coastal waters would be unlikely to attract much Russian attention, and even less American attention.

Apparently you didn't read the article at the link. The Russians reported that they sailed out from Egvekinot, which makes for a distance of 300 miles.

Even still, why wouldn't today's technology be used to monitor the Russian border much more closely than even RINO Murkowski says it is? She represents the state -- you certainly do not.

[SVPete]

Apparently you didn't read the article at the link. The Russians reported that they sailed out from Egvekinot, which makes for a distance of 300 miles.
...

Evidently you haven't looked at a map, and haven't noticed that Egvekinot is a port on the Chukchi Peninsula, from which the boat could sail, follow the coast of the peninsula until near St. Lawrence Island, and then cross the remaining 35-50 miles in open waters. Looking at a map would also help you notice that the most direct route to St. Lawrence Island is along the Chukchi Peninsula coast, from which US planes and ships would have to stand out at least 12 miles. You also ignore the fact that Russian fishing and whaling boats would be sailing in those Russian territorial waters and nearby international waters, just going about their normal business. IOW, whether this boat was inside or outside of the territorial waters limit, they would have looked like just another fishing/whaling boat until they had turned toward St. Lawrence Island and had held that course for sometime. That this boat was not just an ordinary fishing boat would, at most, been apparent for 2-3 hours, if they accidentally happened to be observed immediately.

[Eupher]

Evidently you haven't looked at a map, and haven't noticed that Egvekinot is a port on the Chukchi Peninsula, from which the boat could sail, follow the coast of the peninsula until near St. Lawrence Island, and then cross the remaining 35-50 miles in open waters. Looking at a map would also help you notice that the most direct route to St. Lawrence Island is along the Chukchi Peninsula coast, from which US planes and ships would have to stand out at least 12 miles. You also ignore the fact that Russian fishing and whaling boats would be sailing in those Russian territorial waters and nearby international waters, just going about their normal business. IOW, whether this boat was inside or outside of the territorial waters limit, they would have looked like just another fishing/whaling boat until they had turned toward St. Lawrence Island and had held that course for sometime. That this boat was not just an ordinary fishing boat would, at most, been apparent for 2-3 hours, if they accidentally happened to be observed immediately.

Sigh. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. There is no data on HOW those Russians sailed, only that they sailed out of Egvekinot.

How far are you going to push a non-issue, Pete?

[Ptarmigan]

Diomede, Alaska is in Little Diomede Island. It is is close to Russia through Big Diomede Island.

Diomede Islands
https://www.britannica.com/place/Diomede-Islands

Little Diomede
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Little_Diomede

Big Diomede
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Big_Diomede