A conflict known as the "Battle of the Bering Sea" caught international attention on Earth some years before the events on Aegis VII, likely having been sparked by friction between the United States and the Russian Federation. During the conflict, a further event known as "Kara Sea Hostage Crisis" occurred when the crew members of an American freighter ventured deep inside the enemy-held Kara Sea and were captured by Russian forces, potentially as a result of open military and political conflicts that had pitted the United States and Russia against each other. The Kara Sea Hostage Crisis is regarded as the opening event in a Second Battle of the Bering Sea. However, the precise outcome of the Bering Sea conflict is not known.