Japan has lodged a protest after Russia’s military deployed a number of its new S-300V4 missile defence systems for combat duty on a disputed chain of islands near Japan, Defence Blog has learned.
The deployment of Russian S-300V4 surface surface-to-air missile systems on the Kuril Islands in the North Pacific made Japan lodge a protest. Over more than a half-century, Kurils remains a disputed territory.
As Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato declared on Wednesday, Japan is concerned about that Russian move.
Earlier, the press service of the Russian Eastern Military District noted that the units of Russia’s latest S-300V4 air defence missile system just entered combat duty on the Kuril Islands.
“Units of the S-300V4 missile defense system entered combat duty on an air defense mission on the Kuril Islands,” the statement reads.
To personally checke readiness to enter combat duty of the S-300, Commander of the Eastern Military District’s forces Col. Gen. Zhidko arrived Kurils. The coordinated work of units during the drills was highly appreciated by the military General. The exercises have started after a special signal was received on Russia’s air border violation.
This is the fourth version of the upgraded S-300V battlefield anti-aircraft missile system.
The Japanese-Russian territorial row over the islands is continuing. When the USSR seized Kurils at the end of World War II, it has prevented the two countries from signing a formal peace treaty. Japan calls the islands the Northern Territories and Russia calls them the Kurils.
Over the years, Kremlin is strengthening its military capabilities on the disputed islands, treating them as a major military foothold in Russia’s Far East.
