WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back. We're following new developments in a drama that unfolded off Alaska. U.S. stealth fighter jets scrambled to intercept a part of Russian bombers in international airspace Friday. The Russian long-range bombers flew into the air defense identification zone which extends about 200 miles off Alaska's coast. CNN Pentagon reporter Ryan Browne joins us now with more on the developments. So Ryan, what more can you tell us?</s>RYAN BROWNE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, this instance of two Russia TU-95 Bear bombers flying off the Alaska coast, it has been a long time since the Russians have done this. They do this as part of training exercises. The U.S. monitors this closely. U.S. monitored these bombers entering the air defense identification zone and scrambled these F-22 stealth jets to intercept. We're told this was all done professionally and all done in international air space, but it's been some time since the Russians have conducted one of these probing flights near Alaska north of the Aleutian Islands. In fact it was May of last year, 2017, was the last time the Russians did that. In that instance similar bombers flew once again off the Alaska coast but staying in international airspace, and that was the fourth time in a period of about a month last year. So officials thought then it was sending a message to the United States that Russia was flexing its military muscle off the coast of Alaska in U.S. backyard. Part of a training exercise perhaps but also very much a sending of a message. So U.S. officials now will be watching closely to see if Russia attempting additional flights like this, if additional bombers make their way off the Alaska coast. But again, this all comes as tensions with Russia on various security issues remain relatively high, so the U.S. will be closely watching Russian bomber activity off the coast of Alaska in the coming weeks and months. Fred?</s>WHITFIELD: All right, Ryan Browne, thank you so much. Coming up, how Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein went from being a presidential favorite to a Trump target.
Russian Bombers Fly Off Coast of Alaska