What's happened
The Pacific Fleet has fired Bastion coastal missiles from Etorofu, simulating an attack on enemy ships at about 300km. A submarine and a guided-missile cruiser took part, with exercises running from 4 August to 29 August and prompting protests from Japan over regional territorial disputes.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- The drills underscore the ongoing intensity of the Kuril dispute between Russia and Japan, with live-fire exercises serving as a show of capability.
- Putin’s presence on Etorofu signals a high-level interest in projecting strength in the region.
- The timing of the exercises, close to ongoing diplomatic protests, suggests strategic signaling ahead of potential negotiations or confrontations.
- Readers should watch for follow-on actions: further patrols around the islands, and potential protests or summits that influence regional security dynamics.
How we got here
Tensions over the Northern Territories have persisted since World War II, with Japan claiming the four islands and Russia treating them as part of the Kurils. The latest drills occur amid deteriorating Russia–Japan relations since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Our analysis
Independent: The Pacific Fleet has conducted Bastion missile tests around Etorofu, with officials stating live-fire drills and Putin observing portions of the exercises. The Guardian: Russia’s drills involved about 60 ships, a submarine and 13,000 personnel; Motegi has condemned the moves. Bloomberg: Interfax notes missile launches from submarine and Bastion system during the exercises.
Go deeper
- What implications do these drills have for future talks on the Northern Territories dispute?
- Will regional actors increase their patrols or deploy new weapons in response?
- How might Japan respond diplomatically to these exercises?
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Japan - Country in East Asia
Japan is an island country of East Asia in the northwest Pacific Ocean. It borders the Sea of Japan to the west and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.
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Russia - Country
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in
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Kuril Islands - Island chain located in Northeast Asia administered by Russia
The Kuril Islands or Kurile Islands are a volcanic archipelago administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast in the Russian Far East. The islands stretch approximately 1,300 km (810 mi) northeast from Hokkaido in Japan to Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the north Pacific Ocean. There are 56 islands and many minor islets. The Kuril Islands consist of the Greater Kuril Chain and, at the southwest end, the parallel Lesser Kuril Chain. The group termed the 'South Kurils' consists of those of the Lesser Kuril Chain together with Kunashir and Iturup in the Greater Kuril Chain. The Vries Strait between Iturup and Urup forms the Miyabe Line dividing the North and South Kurils. The Kuril Islands cover an area of around 10,503.2 square kilometres (4,055.3 sq mi), with a population of roughly 20,000. The islands have been under Russian administration since their 1945 invasion by the Soviet Union near the end of World War II. Japan claims the four southernmost islands, including two of the three largest (Iturup and Kunashir), as part of its territory, as well as Shikotan and the unpopulated Habomai islets, which has led to the ongoing Kuril Islands dispute. The disputed...
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Hokkaido - Island in Japan
Hokkaido is the second largest island of Japan, and the largest and northernmost prefecture. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, and the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
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Vladimir Putin - Russian President
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 1999 until 2008.