Japanese media mentioned Russia was conducting drills on islands claimed by Tokyo, days after Moscow halted peace talks with Japan due to its sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It comes after Russia’s Japanese Navy District mentioned it was conducting army drills on the Kuril islands with greater than 3,000 troops and lots of of items of military gear, Russia’s Interfax information company mentioned Friday.
It didn’t say the place on the island chain, connecting Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula and Japan’s northernmost fundamental island of Hokkaido, the drills have been happening. Japanese media mentioned they have been on territory the Soviet Union seized on the finish of World Struggle Two that’s claimed by Tokyo.
The territorial dispute over the 4 islets – which Russia says are a part of its Kuril chain and which Japan calls its Northern Territories – has prevented Tokyo and Moscow from reaching a peace treaty formally ending hostilities.
Japan reacted angrily on Tuesday after Russia withdrew from long-running treaty talks and froze joint financial initiatives associated to the islands, in retaliation for Japan becoming a member of Western sanctions over Moscow’s invasion.