Analysis: Russia and Ukraine — Alaska again at the front line in a new cold war?

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a wake-up call for Alaska as well as the rest of the world. Alaskans live next door to The Bear. We’re right to be concerned.

Three miles separate Alaska from Russia in the Bering Strait. From Gambell, on Saint Lawrence Island, the coast of Siberia is visible on a clear day.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was lampooned for saying, “I can see Russia from my house,” although Palin didn’t say that. What she said was “We can see Russia from Alaska,” which is true.

What does the invasion mean for Alaska? We were on the front lines of the Cold War from the 1950s through the 1980s Those days may be back.

In the 1950s Distant Early Warning radar stations were built along our coasts from Kaktovik, near Canada’s border, to the Aleutians. Stations were also built through Canada’s far north.

Some of those radars are still operating (they were built to detect incoming bombers).

In the 1960 we built a highly-sophisticated missile warning radar station at Clear, southwest of Fairbanks, which has recently been uograded. A second advanced radar facility was built at Eareckson AFB in the Aleutians.

Few Alaskans may remember, but high-altitude U-2 spy planes operating from Eielson AFB near Fairbanks flew over Siberia in the midst of the Cuban missile crisis to keep an eye on Soviet intentions.

These days Russian bombers routinely fly near Alaska’s coasts to test our defenses.

Thanks to work by the state’s congressional delegation, Alaska hosts the nation’s ballistic missile defense system, with interceptors based at Fort Greely, east of Fairbanks.

Alaska now has largest concentration of advanced fighter interceptors with F-35s at Eielson and F-22s at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson in Anchorage.

For many Alaskans Ukraine seems a long way away, but Vladimir Putin’s order to do a preliminary activation of Russia’s nuclear forces woke people up. It may be posturing, but it may not be. There are concerns about Putin’s true intentions, and in fact his stability.

If Putin gets bogged down in Ukraine, which appears to be happening, he way try some kind of escalation, if nothing else to divert attention from the poor performance of his military.

Defense One, a respected military affairs publication, reported last week that CIA director William Burns told congressional leaders that Russian military doctrine contemplates the use of smaller tactical nuclear weapons.

“Russian doctrine holds that you escalate to de-escalate, and so I think the risk would rise (for the use of nuclear weapons) according to the doctrine,” Burns said.

However, senior intelligence officials told lawmakers they have not yet seen clear indications that Russian leader Vladimir Putin would respond to military setbacks in Ukraine with nuclear weapons, according to Defense One.

Avril Haines, the director of Office of the Director for National Intelligence, said Putin’s move to put nuclear forces on alert was mostly “signaling” to keep NATO from intervening in Ukraine.

But Haines and others told the congressmen that as the Russian invasion stalls, the threat of nuclear use is rising, according to Defense One.

Meanwhile, Alaskans are rallying to do what they can.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy has directed State agencies to divest from Russia and called on Alaska residents to end all business with Russia to add to the global pressure on Russian President Putin and his war against the Ukrainian people.

The governor also asked President Joe Biden to prioritize domestic energy production by reversing obstructive policy decisions on key projects.

“The world must do everything possible to pressure Putin to end his war against Ukraine, and Alaska has a role to play. This means State agencies and State-owned corporations divesting from Russian assets, businesses, local governments, and university relationships ending, and Alaskans, as well, I’m asking you to end all business relationships with Russia,” said Dunleavy. “We must do our part to bring pressure upon Putin to help end this war as quickly as possible.”

Alaska Revenue Commissioner Lucinda Mahoney joined the Governor in the news conference, giving specifics on how divesting from Russia can occur.

“Considering the geopolitical tragedies launched by Russia in Ukraine, it is critical for the State of Alaska to divest of interests and investments in Russia,” Mahoney said.

“It has been reported that a few financial institutions, with anti-Arctic investing policies, made the decision to purchase distressed Russian corporate debt with the aim of making a profit while ignoring their own ESG policies regarding human rights. The State of Alaska should not work with companies that discriminate against Alaska in the name of climate change while simultaneously choosing profits over human rights in the Ukraine.”

Meanwhile, Alaska’s natural resources in petroleum and critical minerals are strategic hedge against Russia’s use of its own resources as a weapon to threaten the world.

“Putin’s war is causing global instability by sending oil and gas prices sky high and driving up record inflation,” Dunleavy said. “We welcome President Biden’s ban on Russian (oil) imports, but he is simply not leveling with the American people about his energy policies that are hindering domestic production. I’m urging him to take immediate steps to increase and encourage domestic oil and gas production by reversing harmful regulatory policies and expediting permitting processes.”

Dunleavy wrote President Biden reminding the President of the Willow project in the NPR-A, nearly shovel-ready to provide a domestic source of oil while avoiding funding activities by Russia.

The governor also wrote letters to the Secretary of the Navy urging for the advancement of the presence and physical infrastructure for the Navy in Alaska.

He wrote to the Secretaries of Energy and Defense asking for the development of a domestic supply chain of rare earth and critical minerals that include new mines in Alaska and to block the export of materials that could aid Russia in developing a rare earth industry.

Dunleavy wrote to the Chairman of the U.S. International Trade Commission asking him to investigate the unrestricted importation of Russian seafood to the U.S. while Russia unfairly bans the import of seafood from the U.S.

The Governor also wrote to the U.S. Representative in the Trade Office asking for a formal section 301 investigation into such unfair trade practices with Russia on seafood.