Russian Navy conducts missile drills in the Kuril Islands, raising concerns in Japan

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Russian Navy missile drills in the Kuril Islands

During a recent series of manoeuvres in the Pacific, Russian Navy cruisers and submarines carried out a set of anti-ship and cruise missile firing exercises. Coastal batteries supplemented the drills, completing a realistic setting in which to practise defensive tactics against the advance of an enemy naval force. Russian official sources stated that the activity was part of routine combat training rather than an operation aimed at third countries, although the chosen location raised concerns in Japan because the territory has been disputed by Moscow and Tokyo for decades.

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More specifically, the training involved the missile cruiser Varyag, the nuclear-powered submarine Omsk, and a Bastion coastal battery positioned on the Kuril Islands, which stretch between the Kamchatka Peninsula and Hokkaido. The cruiser fired two Vulkan anti-ship missiles, while the submarine launched a salvo of Granit cruise missiles; the coastal defences, meanwhile, fired Oniks missiles.

Pacific Fleet readiness and combat training

As noted earlier, these missile launches by Russian Navy cruisers and submarines came only days after a major deployment involving more than 13,000 personnel, 60 ships, 30 aircraft and submarines. The operation was intended to assess the readiness of Pacific Fleet assets and its command chain. Particular emphasis was placed on training the units involved to respond to unconventional operational scenarios using the institution’s most modern weaponry, coordinated with other Russian state bodies.

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Japan responds to Russian activity in the Northern Territories

Regarding the concerns raised in Japan, it is worth noting comments made by Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi while he was in Oman: “Russia’s increased military deployment in the Northern Territories, including missile exercises, contradicts Japan’s position on the islands and we consider it unacceptable.” He later said that Tokyo was gathering all available information about the exercise.

The Russian Navy’s missile launches must also be viewed alongside a significant number of recent incidents around Japanese territory. Information released by the Japan Self-Defense Forces in recent weeks includes the scrambling of fighter aircraft to monitor an Il-20 electronic intelligence aircraft, as well as the passage of Russian vessels through the strait separating Hokkaido and Sakhalin.

Furthermore, the joint naval exercise Maritime Interaction 2026 was held in July, involving a broad range of Chinese and Russian assets. Those forces conducted joint reconnaissance, air and missile defence, attacks against surface targets, and submarine rescue operations. Among the deployed platforms, the Varyag cruiser stood out, leading a force also comprising the Ufa submarine, the Rezkiy frigate and the rescue vessel Igor Belusov.

Image credits: Russian Ministry of Defence