Two Russians crossed near-freezing Bering Strait to seek asylum in Alaska

Two Russian nationals fleeing Vladimir Putin’s mass-mobilization landed on Alaska’s St. Lawrence Island and request asylum, according to authorities and the state’s senators.

Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan said in a statement Thursday that community leaders in Gambell, a village on the northwest tip of the island, contacted his office about the men’s arrival on Tuesday.

With less than 500 permanent residents, the village of Gambell is about 36 miles (56 kilometers) from Russia’s Chukchi Peninsula, meaning it is closer to Russia than the Alaskan mainland. Those who live there can see the Russian shore across the sea, reports the BBC citing local media.

A town clerk told KTUU that the men sailed about 300 miles (480 kilometers) from the Russian city of Egvekinot. Others told the news station that the men said they were trying to escape compulsory military service.

Social media have shown draft-eligible men fleeing Putin’s attempt to deploy conscripts to fight in Ukraine, flooding airports and border checkpoints on its western border. Some 260,000 civilians fled Russia in the days following Moscow’s Sept. 21 decree while others took to the streets to protest, according to Fox News.

But this is the first reported case of Russian nationals running away to Alaska.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the men were flown to Anchorage, the state’s capital, and “processed in accordance with applicable U.S. immigration laws under the Immigration and Nationality Act.”

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy said at a news conference Wednesday that their arrival "was a surprise to us.”

"We don't anticipate a continual stream of individuals or a flotilla of individuals. We have no indication that's going to happen, so this may be a one-off," he added.

Sullivan and Sen. Lisa Murkowski issued a joint statement on Thursday calling for more federal resources for Arctic security.

“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,” Murkowski said.

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

Sullivan 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. This is why Senator Murkowski and I have been pressing officials in Washington D.C. so hard on the need to prioritize capabilities in the Arctic -- including infrastructure, Coast Guard assets, ports and strategic defense assets.”