Several US Air Force stealth fighters escorted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Ilyushin Il-96-300PU out of Alaskan airspace early on 16 August, according to a Kremlin-released video that shows at least four F-22 Raptors flying on either side of the Russian leader’s aircraft. Defence trackers reported the formation remained with the plane until it crossed the US Air Defense Identification Zone, a practice rarely extended to Russian state flights. The airborne escort followed a roughly three-hour meeting between Putin and US President Donald Trump at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage on 15 August, Putin’s first trip to a Western country since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The two leaders discussed a possible cease-fire in Ukraine and broader bilateral ties but announced no substantive agreements. F-22s based in Alaska are normally tasked with intercepting Russian military aircraft that approach the state, making the gesture a notable departure from routine encounters. Some defence outlets also cited sightings of F-35A Lightning IIs in the escort, though the Kremlin footage highlights F-22s. Neither Washington nor Moscow has formally commented on the rationale for the unusual show of military courtesy.