According to Moscow’s defence ministry, tests of anti-ship missiles were conducted in the Sea of Japan.
Some 100 kilometres (60 miles) distant, two boats, according to the ministry, conducted a simulated missile strike on a dummy enemy cruiser. According to the ministry, two Moskit cruise missiles successfully struck the objective.
The Moskit is a supersonic anti-ship cruise missile with the ability to carry both conventional and nuclear warheads. According to NATO, its reporting name is the SS-N-22 Sunburn.
Without providing more specific coordinates, it said that the drill was held in the Peter the Great Gulf in the Sea of Japan. The distance between the gulf and Japan’s northern Hokkaido Island is around 700 kilometres (430 miles). The gulf borders the headquarters of the Soviet Pacific Fleet in Fokino.
Requests for comment from the 7th Fleet of the US Navy did not immediately get a response.
Tasuku Matsuki, a representative of the Japanese Foreign Ministry in charge of Russia, stated that Japan has no plans to protest Russia over the missile exercise, despite the fact that Peter the Great Bay is located on what is considered the Russian coast and faces the water separating the two nations.
Overall, Japan is worried about and closely monitoring Russia’s escalating military activity along its coastlines, according to Matsuki.
He said that Russia had previously conducted missile training there and had provided marine warnings in advance. He said that Japan was unable to comment on Russia’s plans for the drill.
Last week, Russian Tu-95 bombers equipped with nuclear weapons circled the Sea of Japan for many hours.
Japan raised alarm over Russian and Chinese warships conducting shooting drills in the Sea of Japan and criticised multinational military activities on the Russian-controlled Kuril Islands, some of which it claims.
In the Sea of Japan last year, Russia also conducted missile tests from submarines.
