Putin Visits Kuril Islands Amidst Japanese Protests, Asserting Russian Sovereignty

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first-ever visit to the Kuril Islands in the Sakhalin region. The trip, reported by Sputnik via Mehr News Agency, saw Putin arrive on Iturup Island after observing the final phase of the Pacific Fleet exercises aboard the guided-missile cruiser Varyag. During his visit, Putin also chaired a meeting on eastern border security and toured a local fish processing and production plant.

Iturup is the largest island in the Kuril chain and is part of Russia’s Sakhalin Oblast. Addressing the visit, Putin stated, “Russians have the genetic code of winners.”

Japan has sharply criticized Putin’s presence in the Kuril Islands, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issuing a strong protest. Russia and Japan have yet to sign a peace treaty due to their unresolved dispute over the sovereignty of the Kuril Islands since the end of World War II.

In response to Japan’s objections, Dmitry Medvedev commented that the remarks from Japanese officials regarding the Kuril Islands do not alter the reality; he asserted that these islands are and will remain part of Russian territory. Medvedev further warned that any party that fails to understand the Kuril Islands’ belonging to Russia will face severe consequences for their fantasies.