US Army soldiers were deployed to a remote island southeast of Alaska last week as part of a “force protection operation” amid an expected increase in Russian and Chinese military exercises in the region,

The U.S. Army has increased its presence in the state of Alaska following increased military activity from Russia and China in and around the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ). At the same time, state and federal officials from Alaska are calling for an increased military investment into the state.

About 130 U.S. soldiers are returning to their bases after being deployed to a remote Alaska island amid a spike in Russian military activity off the western reaches of the U.S.

The Army conducted a 'force projection' training exercise on Shemya Island, a remote Alaskan island less than 300 miles from the Russian coast.

Soldiers with the 11th Airborne Division moved to the tiny Shemya Island with artillery and radars to show how quickly they can mobilize

The deployment to Shemya Island involved soldiers from Alaska, Washington and Hawaii with the 11th Airborne Division and the 1st and 3rd Multi Domain Task Forces.

Eight Russian military planes and four navy vessels, including two submarines, have come close to Alaska in the past week.

The U.S. military has moved about 130 soldiers along with mobile rocket launchers to a desolate island in the Aleutian chain of western Alaska amid a recent increase in Russian military planes and vessels approaching American territory.

Russian military planes and navy vessels, including two submarines, have come close to Alaska in the past week as Russia and China conducted joint drills.

The U.S. military has stationed around 130 soldiers and mobile rocket launchers on an uninhabited island in the Aleutian chain in western Alaska. This move follows increased activity by Russian and Chinese military forces near U.