Ukraine says woman held in plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Summary:

• Ukraine reports a plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
• Tensions escalate between the U.S., China, and Russia in the coast of Alaska
• U.S. Navy">U.S. Navy deploys destroyerships in response to Chinese and Russian warships
• China and Russia conduct joint exercises near Alaska amid increased ties

We're going to turn now to new military tensions between the U.S., China and Russia, with the U.S. Navy">U.S. Navy sending destroyers to the coast of Alaska last week after nearly a dozen Russian and Chinese warships were spotted patrolling nearby international waters, very nearby. Weizhezhang is at the White House for us with more on what all this means. Weizhezh, good morning.

Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan's Concerns

Good morning to you, Tony. Good morning to everybody. Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan called the size of the Chinese and Russian joint operation unprecedented. He says the U.S. deployed four Navy destroyerships near the Aleutian Islands in response to those 11 Chinese and Russian warships near U.S. waters.

Chinese and Russian Patrol in International Waters

The U.S. Northern Command says the Chinese and Russian patrol remained in international waters and wasn't considered a threat. But the show of force is a reminder of the cooperation of Chinese and Russian militaries, as well as how close the countries are to Alaska. A similar joint exercise took place last year in September. The U.S. Coast Guard encountered seven Chinese and Russian ships near Alaska, all in a single formation. Now, China and Russia have increased their ties amid tensions with the U.S. over Taiwan and Ukraine, making situations like this more alarming. In a statement to other media outlets, the Chinese embassy said this patrol was part of an annual cooperation plan and has nothing to do with the current international and regional situations.

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