Russians Escaping to Alaska Seeks Asylum

The two men who crossed the Bering Sea from Russia and landed on St. Lawrence Island in Alaska last week are seeking asylum in the United States, according to a spokesperson for Sen. Dan Sullivan, Alaska´s News Source reports.

Sen. Dan Sullivan’s office confirmed Thursday that the two Russian men who said they sailed from a coastal city in northeastern Russia to escape compulsory military service are now seeking asylum in the United States.

The two men landed their boat near the village of Gambell on St. Lawrence Island last week.

An update from the Department of Homeland Security said the men were flown to Anchorage and “processed in accordance with applicable U.S. immigration laws under the Immigration and Nationality Act.”

Both Senators Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski have expressed concerns, shared in a press release on Thursday. Murkowski said the federal response was “lacking” and Sullivan said that federal agencies responded “adequately.”