A recently surfaced video appears to show an unusually close and potentially hazardous interaction between a U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II and a Russian Su-35 Flanker-E fighter jet, raising fresh concerns over the growing frequency and intensity of aerial encounters between rival militaries.
The short but striking footage, first shared on the pro-Russian Fighterbomber Telegram channel earlier today, shows what seems to be an Alaska-based F-35A maneuvering dangerously close to a Russian Su-35. For a brief moment, the American stealth fighter appears ahead and just to the right of the Russian aircraft’s nose — a position that aviation experts say could pose serious risks to both jets. In the same clip, a Russian Tu-95 “Bear” strategic bomber is also visible, suggesting the scene was captured during an intercept mission involving a Russian long-range patrol near U.S. airspace.
The authenticity of the video has not been officially confirmed by either the U.S. or Russian defense ministries. However, a spokesperson for NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) acknowledged that U.S. fighters intercepted Russian aircraft on February 18, 2025 — the most recent such intercept publicly disclosed — and stated that the flight behavior seen in the video “is once again not what one would expect to see from a professional Air Force.”
Whether the incident in the video actually occurred during the February 18 intercept or at another time is unclear. NORAD did not confirm the exact date, time, or nature of the encounter captured in the footage.
Encounters like this are not new. For decades, U.S. and Russian aircraft have tested each other’s readiness and resolve through long-range patrols and intercept missions, particularly in the Arctic. However, defense analysts say the proximity displayed in the recent video is more aggressive than what is typically observed — and highlights the persistent risk of a mid-air collision or unintended escalation.
Russian Tu-95 bombers routinely patrol international airspace near Alaska, prompting intercepts by NORAD assets that include fifth-generation F-35As stationed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. These missions, often involving Russian fighter escorts like the Su-35, are part of Russia’s strategic messaging and power projection.
The U.S. responds to these flights with standard procedures: fighter jets are scrambled to visually identify and monitor the aircraft within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), though they rarely cross into U.S. sovereign airspace.
In February, when NORAD announced that Russian aircraft had again flown near Alaska, it released photos showing American F-35s shadowing Russian Tu-95s and Su-35s — a formation strikingly similar to the one seen in the new video.
At the time, there were no official claims of unsafe flying. That makes the emergence of this video, which shows very close proximity between the aircraft, all the more notable.
Experts say that while intercepts and close fly-bys are routine between rival air forces, behavior that crosses into what NATO terms “unsafe and unprofessional” territory increases the danger significantly.
“There’s always a level of risk when you have fast jets flying within hundreds of feet of each other — sometimes less — especially with poor communication, or if one side is trying to provoke a response,” said former Air Force pilot Lt. Col. Michael Traynor. “From what little we can see in the video, this was tighter than normal spacing, and the F-35 might have cut in a bit too close.”
He also noted that while both the U.S. and Russia often accuse each other of reckless flying, the true context of these encounters is usually hidden from public view, making video leaks like this rare and revealing.
Cold War-era confrontations between U.S. and Soviet aircraft often included dangerous stunts like barrel rolls and close passes, and similar encounters have continued over the years, involving both Russian and Chinese military aircraft.
Indeed, Chinese forces have increasingly mirrored Russian tactics, performing aggressive intercepts near U.S. surveillance aircraft in the Pacific and South China Sea. U.S. officials say these actions raise the likelihood of an accident that could spiral into a broader conflict.
The recent video is part of a broader trend of military posturing between the United States, Russia, and China across multiple domains. In March 2025, for example, footage emerged of a Russian Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft buzzing the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson during a joint exercise with Japan and South Korea in the Sea of Japan. The Russian plane was tightly flanked by a U.S. Navy F-35C and an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, in what officials called a “provocative but controlled intercept.”
In recent years, Russia and China have increasingly conducted joint air and maritime patrols, including operations near the U.S. homeland. In 2023, Chinese H-6 bombers flew off the Alaskan coast for the first time ever during a joint mission with Russia. Such cooperation is likely to grow as strategic alignment between Moscow and Beijing continues.
U.S. officials acknowledge that these patrols are legal under international law, as long as they remain outside national airspace, but they point to the growing frequency and proximity of these encounters as cause for concern.
As relations between the U.S., Russia, and China remain tense over issues like Ukraine, Taiwan, and cybersecurity, analysts warn that even minor incidents involving military aircraft could have major repercussions.
“A collision or misunderstanding in international airspace could quickly become a diplomatic crisis — or worse,” said Dr. Rachel Yang, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “All it takes is one misjudgment.”
This is not just a hypothetical concern. In 2001, a Chinese fighter jet collided with a U.S. Navy EP-3 surveillance aircraft over the South China Sea, killing the Chinese pilot and forcing the U.S. crew to make an emergency landing in China. The resulting standoff strained U.S.-China relations for months.
More recently, close calls have become increasingly common. In 2022, a Chinese J-16 fighter came within just a few meters of a U.S. reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea, prompting a stern warning from Washington.
The release of this new video adds pressure on both sides to clarify the incident and to prevent similar episodes from escalating. So far, neither the U.S. nor Russia has commented further on the clip’s content or what may have prompted the dangerously close maneuver.
Experts suggest the most likely scenario is that the video was leaked deliberately for propaganda or strategic signaling. The Fighterbomber Telegram channel has previously shared footage to boost Russian morale or showcase the reach of the Russian Air Force.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon may choose to remain silent, in keeping with past practice when dealing with intercept footage, unless the event rises to the level of a diplomatic incident.
What is clear is that such high-stakes military interactions are becoming more common — and more fraught — as great power competition heats up across the globe.
As tensions continue to mount, incidents like the one shown in this video could become less of an exception and more of a grim new normal.
