- 08 Dec 2017 07:24
#14869094
The Kurils are a chain of islands with a length of about 1200 km separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the Pacific Ocean. The south of the Kurils is the state border of Russia with Japan. At the same time, the southern islands of the archipelago - Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and a group of Habomai islands are disputed by Japan, which considers them as part of prefecture of Hokkaido. Russia's position is that these islands were part of the USSR following the Second World War and Russia's sovereignty over them, which has a corresponding international legal formulation, is not in question.
However, the current government of Japan intends to transfer the Kurile Islands while at the head of the Japanese government is Shinzo Abe, and Russian President is Vladimir Putin. At the same time, according to Japanese media, in the case of the Southern Kurils transition to the sovereignty of Japan, it will be possible to deploy US troops on the islands territory. Thus, Russia's strengthening of military power in the Kurils can be seen as a political signal that the Russian government emphasizes the strategic importance of the Sea of Okhotsk, and Japan's claims on the problem of "northern territories" are unacceptable.
The basis of the Russian grouping on the islands is the 18th machine-gun artillery division, which is part of the Eastern Military District. In September 2015, the air defense units with anti-aircraft missile systems Tor-M2U entered the Kuril Islands.
It is planned that a new military base of the Russian Navy will be built on the Kurils in 2018, which will be able to take any ships in, including the first-rate ships.
Construction work will begin in early 2018. The coastal missile systems Bal and Bastion will be deployed to cover the new base on the islands of Matua and Paramushir.
Adopted in 2008 the coastal missile complex "Bal" is designed to protect the coast and straits, and cover naval bases. It is possible to fire single missiles or a volley up to 32 subsonic missiles.
Adopted in 2010 complexes "Bastion" protect the long lines of a large stretch of the coast from the landing parties and carrier groups of the enemy. Supersonic missiles of the "Bastion" are invulnerable to the air defense and anti-missile system of the enemy and designed for the destruction of large ships.
It is reported that batteries of coastal anti-ship complexes Bal and Bastion located on Matua will be able to shoot through the water area along the entire Kuril chain - from Kamchatka to Iturup. According to experts, the new coastal defense system will reliably close the Sea of Okhotsk and cover Primorsky Krai and Sakhalin from attacks by the enemy fleet.
All these actions arouse discontent of the Japanese leadership, expressing concern about the construction of a new Russian naval base in the Kuril Islands. However, Japan deployed military garrisons on the Diaoyu Islands (Senkaku) in the East China Sea, which were subject to territorial dispute with China since 2016. It is known that Japanese military garrisons are located on the three islands of Yonaguni, Miyako and Ishigaki. And despite protests from China, Tokyo does not intend to withdraw its troops from there. Thus, Tokyo has no reason to protest the deployment of Russian troops on Russian territory.
However, the current government of Japan intends to transfer the Kurile Islands while at the head of the Japanese government is Shinzo Abe, and Russian President is Vladimir Putin. At the same time, according to Japanese media, in the case of the Southern Kurils transition to the sovereignty of Japan, it will be possible to deploy US troops on the islands territory. Thus, Russia's strengthening of military power in the Kurils can be seen as a political signal that the Russian government emphasizes the strategic importance of the Sea of Okhotsk, and Japan's claims on the problem of "northern territories" are unacceptable.
The basis of the Russian grouping on the islands is the 18th machine-gun artillery division, which is part of the Eastern Military District. In September 2015, the air defense units with anti-aircraft missile systems Tor-M2U entered the Kuril Islands.
It is planned that a new military base of the Russian Navy will be built on the Kurils in 2018, which will be able to take any ships in, including the first-rate ships.
Construction work will begin in early 2018. The coastal missile systems Bal and Bastion will be deployed to cover the new base on the islands of Matua and Paramushir.
Adopted in 2008 the coastal missile complex "Bal" is designed to protect the coast and straits, and cover naval bases. It is possible to fire single missiles or a volley up to 32 subsonic missiles.
Adopted in 2010 complexes "Bastion" protect the long lines of a large stretch of the coast from the landing parties and carrier groups of the enemy. Supersonic missiles of the "Bastion" are invulnerable to the air defense and anti-missile system of the enemy and designed for the destruction of large ships.
It is reported that batteries of coastal anti-ship complexes Bal and Bastion located on Matua will be able to shoot through the water area along the entire Kuril chain - from Kamchatka to Iturup. According to experts, the new coastal defense system will reliably close the Sea of Okhotsk and cover Primorsky Krai and Sakhalin from attacks by the enemy fleet.
All these actions arouse discontent of the Japanese leadership, expressing concern about the construction of a new Russian naval base in the Kuril Islands. However, Japan deployed military garrisons on the Diaoyu Islands (Senkaku) in the East China Sea, which were subject to territorial dispute with China since 2016. It is known that Japanese military garrisons are located on the three islands of Yonaguni, Miyako and Ishigaki. And despite protests from China, Tokyo does not intend to withdraw its troops from there. Thus, Tokyo has no reason to protest the deployment of Russian troops on Russian territory.