Two Russians have arrived in Alaska by boat after claiming they were fleeing the call-up to fight in Ukraine and are seeking asylum, said US officials.
President Vladimir Putin last month announced a partial military mobilization for Moscow's war in Ukraine which has recently seen Russian troops forced into withdrawals in the east and south of the country.
It has led to tens of thousands of men attempting to flee abroad to avoid being signed up with long queues having been seen in recent weeks at Russian borders.
Now, the office of Senator Lisa Murkowski, who represents Alaska, said two Russians were seeking asylum after claiming they were trying to avoid compulsory military service.
They were found near an Alaskan city about 40 miles from the Russian coast and had arrived by boat.
Putin's mobilization drive has proved one of Moscow's most unpopular moves, triggering protests in cities and regions across the country.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine that started on February 24 has begun to unravel after a Ukrainian counteroffensive regained thousands of square miles of territory in the past month.
It has been put down to low morale among Russian soldiers as well as failing military equipment and poor leadership.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy said the two individuals came over from Russia in a boat and were now being questioned.
But he said that the US is not now expecting many Russian migrants.
"We don't anticipate a continual stream of individuals or a flotilla of individuals. We have no indication that's going to happen, so this may be a one-off," Dunleavy said in a statement.
The Russian embassy in Washington is aware of the case and plans to have a phone conversation with the two citizens soon, a spokeswoman at the mission was quoted as saying by Tass news agency.
Senator Dan Sullivan, who also represents Alaska, said Customs and Border Protection officials were assessing the case, which showed that "the Russian people don't want to fight Putin's war of aggression against Ukraine."
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the two individuals arrived on Tuesday.
"The individuals were transported to Anchorage for inspection, which includes a screening and vetting process, and then subsequently processed in accordance with applicable US immigration laws," a department spokesperson said.
