One of many dead seals found washed up on beaches along the Bering Strait, is pictured in Nome, Alaska, U.S. July 16, 2019. Picture taken July 16, 2019. REUTERS/Yereth Rosen. 

An election official assists a man with his ballot papers at a polling station in the Southern Russian city of Stavropol, March 13, 2011. Russians from the Bering Strait to the Baltic voted in regional elections on Sunday, the last big test for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's ruling party before December parliamentary polls and a presidential vote next March. REUTERS/Eduard Korniyenko (RUSSIA - Tags: ELECTIONS POLITICS) 

An election official assists an elderly woman complete her ballot papers and vote from her home in the town of Azov in the southern Russian region of Rostov March 13, 2011. Russians from the Bering Strait to the Baltic voted in regional elections on Sunday, the last big test for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's ruling party before December parliamentary polls and a presidential vote next March. REUTERS/Vladimir Konstantinov (RUSSIA - Tags: ELECTIONS POLITICS) 

A woman posts her ballot papers at a polling station in the town of Azov, in the southern Russian region of Rostov March 13, 2011. Russians from the Bering Strait to the Baltic voted in regional elections on Sunday, the last big test for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's ruling party before December parliamentary polls and a presidential vote next March. REUTERS/Vladimir Konstantinov (RUSSIA - Tags: ELECTIONS POLITICS) 

An election official assists a man with his ballot papers at a polling station in the southern Russian city of Stavropol March 13, 2011. Russians from the Bering Strait to the Baltic voted in regional elections on Sunday, the last big test for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's ruling party before December parliamentary polls and a presidential vote next March. REUTERS/Eduard Korniyenko (RUSSIA - Tags: ELECTIONS POLITICS) 

An election official assists an elderly woman as she fills up her ballot papers to vote from her home in the town of Azov in the southern Russian region of Rostov, March 13, 2011. Russians from the Bering Strait to the Baltic voted in regional elections on Sunday, the last big test for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's ruling party before December parliamentary polls and a presidential vote next March. REUTERS/Vladimir Konstantinov (RUSSIA - Tags: ELECTIONS POLITICS) 

Women check their ballot papers before voting at a polling station in the Southern Russian city of Stavropol March 13, 2011. Russians from the Bering Strait to the Baltic voted in regional elections on Sunday, the last big test for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's ruling party before December parliamentary polls and a presidential vote next March. REUTERS/Eduard Korniyenko (RUSSIA - Tags: ELECTIONS POLITICS) 

A man peers out of a booth at a polling station in the Southern Russian city of Stavropol March 13, 2011. Russians from the Bering Strait to the Baltic voted in regional elections on Sunday, the last big test for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's ruling party before December parliamentary polls and a presidential vote next March. REUTERS/Eduard Korniyenko (RUSSIA - Tags: ELECTIONS POLITICS) 

A man looks at a list of candidates for local elections on the wall of a polling station in the Southern Russian city of Stavropol March 13, 2011. Russians from the Bering Strait to the Baltic voted in regional elections on Sunday, the last big test for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's ruling party before the December parliamentary polls and a presidential vote next March. REUTERS/Eduard Korniyenko (RUSSIA - Tags: ELECTIONS POLITICS) 

Rebecca Woodgate (R) and Dan Naber prepare a mooring to be deployed into the Bering Strait on board the Russian ship Professor Khromov in this August 25, 2009 file photo. Russian and U.S. oceanographers studying the impact of global warming on the Bering Strait in late August enjoyed seas on some days that were so calm their ship made the only ripples. But the serenity of the seascape belied increasingly turbulent waters for scientific research as countries exert sovereignty over Arctic territory and Big Oil boosts exploration efforts.

To match feature USA-RUSSIA/ REUTERS/Jeff Jones/Files (UNITED STATES SCI TECH ENVIRONMENT) 

Dan Naber prepares an anchor to drag the sea floor in hopes of releasing stuck data gathering equipment in the Bering Strait on board the Russian research vessel Professor Khromov August 25, 2009. The equipment was retrieved and eight new data gathering moorings on both the Russian and the U.S. side of the strait were released to sea bed. A joint U.S.-Russian oceanographic expedition, the Russian-American Long-term Census of the Arctic (RUSALCA), is studying the impact of climate change on the waters from Alaska's coast to Russia's eastern tip. To match feature USA-RUSSIA/ENVIRONMENT REUTERS/Jeffrey Jones (UNITED STATES SCI TECH ENVIRONMENT) 

Rebecca Woodgate (R) and Dan Naber prepare a mooring to be deployed into the Bering Strait on board the Russian research vessel Professor Khromov August 25, 2009. A joint U.S.-Russian oceanographic expedition, the Russian-American Long-term Census of the Arctic (RUSALCA), is studying the impact of climate change on the waters from Alaska's coast to Russia's eastern tip. Picture taken August 25, 2009. To match feature USA-RUSSIA/ENVIRONMENT REUTERS/Jeff Jones (UNITED STATES SCI TECH ENVIRONMENT) 

Scientists Alexander Kolesnik (L) and Daria Petrova examine mud and sea life dredged up from the bottom of the Bering Sea on board the Russian research vessel Professor Khromov August 29, 2009. A joint U.S.-Russian oceanographic expedition, the Russian-American Long-term Census of the Arctic (RUSALCA), is studying the impact of climate change on the waters from Alaska's coast to Russia's eastern tip. Picture taken August 29, 2009. To match feature USA-RUSSIA/ENVIRONMENT REUTERS/Jeffrey Jones (RUSSIA SCI TECH ENVIRONMENT) 

The island of Big Diomede sits in the morning mist on the Russian side of the Bering Strait as seen from the Russian research vessel Professor Khromov August 28, 2009. A joint U.S.-Russian oceanographic expedition, the Russian-American Long-term Census of the Arctic (RUSALCA), is studying the impact of climate change on the waters from Alaska's coast to Russia's eastern tip. Picture taken August 28, 2009 To match feature USA-RUSSIA/ENVIRONMENT REUTERS/Jeffrey Jones (RUSSIA SCI TECH ENVIRONMENT) 

Michael Kong and Kevin Taylor guide a water testing unit onto the deck of the Professor Khromov in the Bering Strait August 28, 2009. A joint U.S.-Russian oceanographic expedition, the Russian-American Long-term Census of the Arctic (RUSALCA), is studying the impact of climate change on the waters from Alaska's coast to Russia's eastern tip. Picture taken August 28, 2009 To match feature USA-RUSSIA/ENVIRONMENT REUTERS/Jeffrey Jones (UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENT SCI TECH) 

Col. Stu (last name omitted and name tag obliterated at military request), Commander of the Combined Intelligence and Fusion Center speaks to reporters while standing in front of video screens showing New York City (L) and the Bering Strait off of Alaska (R) at the CIFC at Petersen Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado August 25, 2004. The analysts at the CIFC provide intelligence support to Homeland Defense. REUTERS/Rick Wilking RTW 

ICE CHALLENGER VEHICLE SNOWBIRD 6 LIES STRANDED ON THE SHORE OF THE
THAMES PRIOR TO ITS TRIP TO THE BERING STRAIT.


Expedition leader Steve Brooks and co-driver Graham Stratford examine
The Ice Challenger vehicle "Snowbird 6" after it broke down on the
River Thames in London during its final tests January 15, 2002. Brooks
hopes to drive Snowbird 6 across the 56 mile ice bridge which separates
Alaska from the Siberian coastline next March. REUTERS/Russell Boyce 

The Ice Challenger Expedition vehicle Snowbird 6, driven by expedition
leader Steve Brooks and co-driver Graham Stratford limps to the shore
after a weld failed on one of its two screws causing it to fill with
water from the River Thames in London during its final tests January
15, 2002. Brooks hopes to drive Snowbird 6 across the 56 mile ice
bridge which separates Alaska from the Siberian coastline next March.
REUTERS/Russell Boyce

RUS/PS 

The Ice Challenger, driven by expedition leader Steve Brooks and
co-driver Graham Stratford powers up the River Thames past the Houses
of Parliament in London for its final tests January 15, 2002. Brooks
hopes to drive the Ice Challenger across the 56 mile ice bridge which
separates Alaska from the Siberian coastline next March.
REUTERS/Russell Boyce

RUS/PS 

The Ice Challenger, driven by expedition leader Steve Brooks and
co-driver Graham Stratford powers up the River Thames past the Houses
of Parliament in London for its final tests January 15, 2002. Brooks
hopes to drive the Ice Challenger across the 56 mile ice bridge which
separates Alaska from the Siberian coastline next March.
REUTERS/Russell Boyce

RUS/PS