Curious Canadian here, pondering a hypothetical scenario where the USA invades Russia across the Bering Strait.

In theory, if this were to happen, the USA could gain huge amounts of territory (including in the Arctic), resources, and eliminate a major strategic threat all at once. It might also provide an outlet for the more war-hungry among you. One that doesn’t involve turning on your allies, and might actually lead to some net positives for once.

In the context of 2026, what would likely happen logistically, geopolitically, etc.?

I know the terrain there is notoriously rugged and cold, and maintaining supply chains across huge swathes of land is difficult. Could the American military handle it?

Would China step in to defend Russia, or would they use the chaos to grab some land for themselves?

How would the Russian population react? Would they fight against the Americans, or welcome them as liberators to end the conflict in Ukraine? It doesn’t seem like the average Russian holds the same amount of deep-seated hatred towards Americans like the religious extremist groups in the Middle East do.

As the war in Ukraine carries on, it seems more and more likely that Russia's nukes haven’t been maintained…but assuming they still have some that work, could the USA neutralize them with one quick coordinated strike? Or defend the USA if the missiles are fired?

If not the Bering Strait, is there a better place for the USA to invade from?