Russia holds drills in Kurile Islands

Russia has announced military exercises in the Pacific Ocean’s Kurile Islands, a move which will likely anger Japan, which also has claims on the Islands.

“Exercises began involving military units in the region, which are deploying to the Kurile Islands,” Colonel Alexander Gordeyev, a spokesman for Russia’s Eastern Military District, told reporters on Tuesday.

The defense Military Spokesman also said that over 1,000 troops, five Mi-8AMTSh attack helicopters and 100 other pieces of military hardware will be used during the exercises.

In relation to Russia’s maneuvers, a Japanese Foreign Ministry official said, “If they are conducting a military exercise on the Northern Territories, we can by no means accept that in light of Japan’s stance on the islands. We’ve already informed the Russian side of that stance and asked for clarification.”

Relations between Russia and Japan have been overshadowed for decades by a persisting territorial dispute over the Kurile Islands, which include the isles of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habomai.

The four disputed islands were occupied by the former Soviet Union forces at the conclusion of World War II but are still claimed by Japan.

Moscow and Tokyo have never signed a permanent peace treaty following the end of World War II because of the dispute over the islands, which Russia calls the Southern Kuriles and Japan calls the Northern Territories.