Here are a couple of links about Russian Bombers over Alaska territory. Take them at the validity you see fit I didn't take the time to really research this.
This may be one explanation. Of coarse this is from our best friendsssss Wikipedia!
Russian Flying PatrolsIn August 2007, Russia began flying patrols over NATO territory. This was the first time since the end of the Cold War that Russia advanced military forces over NATO territory. The first incident took place on August 10, 2007. A Russian plane squadron consisting of two Tu-95 bombers flew over the US island of Guam in the Pacific. US planes scrambled, but no hostile actions were taken.[2] The second incident took place on August 17, 2007. Russian President Vladamir Putin ordered strategic bomber/fighter patrols to resume after 15 years, particularly through neutral international water. The patrols were shadowed by NATO jets.[3] Russian patrols continue with incidents that are of high concern to NATO-Russian relations, such as Russian bombers over Alaska[4] and the Russian bomber that buzzed the US Nimitz aircraft carrier on February 11, 2008. Four F/A-18A fighter jets intercepted the bomber.[5]
In response to the frequent fly-overs by Russian bombers, the US-based North American Aerospace Defense and Northern commands initiated joint exercises with Russian forces in Colorado and Alaska.[6]
The reason for the fly-overs is debatable. Russia has linked the fly-overs to a perceived attempt by the United States to place missile based in Poland while Russian experts consider the fly-overs to be an attempt by Russian President Putin to win strengthen support and increase military spending.[6] Putin's successor, Dmitry Medvedev is characterized as more liberal than Putin, but did not decrease the frequency of fly-overs.
Arctic Territory ClaimsOn August 3, 2007 Russia submarines planted undersea flags at two locations in the Northern Arctic and redrew the boundaries between Russian and International territory. While Canada, the United States, Russia, Norway, and Greenland all held ocean territory north off their mainlands, this is the first attempt to take a large area beyond this into neutral territory. The arctic is said to hold 25% of the world's unclaimed oil.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/02/11/russian.bomber/index.html (Article Feb 08)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2093547/posts (article from Anchorage from March 08)
http://www.nowpublic.com/russian-bombers-over-us-base-intercepted-us-air-force (Article Aug 08)
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=3364973n (recent video)
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