One of largest naval exercises since end of the cold war.
Russian ships are conducting military exercises off the coast of Hawaii, sending U.S. Air Force jets scrambling. The show of force—one of the largest since the end of the cold war—began just hours before the beginning of the Geneva summit between President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Russian navy exercises are in the Pacific Ocean 300 to 500 miles west of Hawaii and include long-range bombers, surface ships, and anti-submarine aircraft.
Russian bombers did not cross over into Hawaii’s Air Defense Identification Zone, so they did not need to be intercepted, but the Air Force said they came “very close.” The Air Force scrambled three missile-armed F-22 Raptor fighters from Hickam Air Force Base.
“U.S.-Indo Pacific Command is monitoring the Russian vessels operating in international waters in the Western Pacific,” Navy Captain Mike Kafka, a spokesman for the Oahu-based command, said. “As part of our normal daily operations, we closely track all vessels in the Indo-Pacific area of operations through maritime patrol aircraft, surface ships, and joint capabilities.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For America’s officials who are monitoring the Russian military exercises in the Pacific.
- For the president and his administration as they consider appropriate responses to the proximity to Hawaii.
- For God to give U.S. diplomats and leaders the necessary discernment to navigate the situation with Russia.
Sources: CBS News, Star Advertiser, Hot Air
