US Pacific Ally Intercepts Russian Warships Near Coast
Japan-an ally of the United States-intercepted two groups of Russian warships sailing off its coast over the weekend, as Russia's Pacific Fleet began a large-scale drill in the Far East.
Newsweek has contacted the Russian defense and foreign ministries for comment by email.
Japan forms part of the First Island Chain-a defensive line of islands in the western Pacific Ocean-along with Taiwan and the Philippines, under a U.S. maritime containment strategy aimed at restricting Russian and Chinese naval activities in the region in the event of war.
While fighting Ukrainian forces in Europe, Russia continues to flex its military power in the Indo-Pacific region by deploying naval task groups. This comes against the backdrop of an unresolved territorial dispute with Japan over a group of islets in the Russian Far East.
A pair of Russian warships was spotted transiting the La Pérouse Strait-known in Japan as the Soya Strait-eastward into the Sea of Okhotsk from the Sea of Japan (referred to as the East Sea in South Korea) on Saturday, the Japanese Defense Ministry revealed on Monday.
The Russian vessels were identified by their hull numbers as the destroyer Admiral Tributs and the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, both assigned to the country's Pacific Fleet. The La Pérouse Strait lies between Russia's Sakhalin Island and Hokkaido, the northernmost Japanese main island.
Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry announced that, starting Monday, the Pacific Fleet would carry out a planned exercise in multiple areas across the Pacific Ocean-including the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan-lasting through the end of the month, Tass reported.
Ships assigned to the Pacific Fleet have been departing from their bases for designated areas, according to the report, which added that the exercise would involve up to 40 vessels, more than 30 aircraft and helicopters, over 5,000 personnel, and Bastion coastal missile systems.
A second group of Russian naval vessels passed through the Tsushima Strait-which lies between Japan and the Korean Peninsula-on Sunday, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry. The group transited northeast from the East China Sea toward the Sea of Japan.
It consisted of three ships, including two corvettes-the Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov and the Rezky-and a supply vessel. They departed their Far Eastern base in Vladivostok in February for a deployment in the Asia-Pacific region.
Maps provided by the Japanese Defense Ministry show that neither Russian naval group entered Japan's territorial waters, which extend up to 13.8 miles from its coastline.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Monday: "During the [Pacific Fleet's exercise], a set of measures will be worked out to search for and track submarines of a simulated enemy, the organization of anti-ship and air defense of detachments of ships on the sea passage and the delivery of joint missile strikes on single and group sea target positions. Practical skills will also be strengthened to repel attacks by enemy aircraft, drones and unmanned boats."
Japan's defense white paper of 2024 commented: "Russia has been conducting intensive military activities in the Far East encompassing the Northern Territories, while continuing its aggression against Ukraine. Russia has also been observed engaging in joint activities with China involving aircraft and vessels."
The Northern Territories, also known as the Southern Kuril Islands in Russia, are a group of four islands ruled by Moscow captured from Japan following the end of World War II.
More Russian military vessels are expected to appear in waters surrounding Japan as the Pacific Fleet's exercise continues. It remains to be seen how Japan will respond, especially as it also faces a growing naval threat from China.
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