Key facts
- Russia conducted missile drills near islands claimed by Japan.
- President Vladimir Putin recently visited the disputed territory.
- The exercises involved naval and air forces, including a Bastion missile system, a cruiser, and a submarine.
- Japan protested the drills, stating they oppose increased military power on the islands.
Russia's Pacific Fleet announced it conducted a missile test near a group of Russian-held, Japanese-claimed islands, amid an intensifying dispute over the territory. The announcement followed President Vladimir Putin's first-ever visit to Etorofu Island, the largest of the disputed territories, on August 13. The drills involved a Bastion surface-to-ship missile system, the guided missile cruiser Varyag, and the Omsk nuclear-powered submarine, simulating an attack on enemy vessels at a range of at least 300 kilometers. Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stated that moves to strengthen military power on the islands are unacceptable and that Japan lodged a protest with Russia. Japan claims the islands were illegally seized by the Soviet Union after World War II, while Russia asserts they became its territory as a result of the war. Ties between Japan and Russia have been strained since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The drills, which began on August 4 and were informed to Japan in advance, involved approximately 60 surface ships, submarines, and support vessels, about 30 aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial systems, and over 13,000 service members, and are scheduled to continue through August 29.