2 Russians flee to remote Alaskan island to escape Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine war draft
- The pair are seeking asylum in the US after sailing across the Bering Sea in a small boat and arriving near Gambell, an isolated town of 600 people
- The route is an unusual one for Russians attempting to get into the US, who more commonly enter via Mexico or Canada
Two Russians who said they fled the country to avoid compulsory military service have requested asylum in the US after landing on a remote Alaska island in the Bering Sea, Alaska US Senator Lisa Murkowski’s office said on Thursday.
Karina Borger, a Murkowski spokeswoman, said by email that the office has been in communication with the US Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection and that “the Russian nationals reported that they fled one of the coastal communities on the east coast of Russia to avoid compulsory military service”.
Spokespersons with the Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection referred a reporter’s questions to the US Department of Homeland Security public affairs office, which provided little information on Thursday.
The office, in a statement, said the individuals “were transported to Anchorage for inspection, which includes a screening and vetting process, and then subsequently processed in accordance with applicable US immigration laws under the Immigration and Nationality Act”.
The agency said the individuals arrived on Tuesday on a small boat. It did not provide details on where the individuals came from, their journey or the asylum request.