A new wave of tension and escalation between Moscow and Tokyo in the Sea of Japan, after the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that its naval fleet in the Pacific Ocean had launched Mosquito cruise missiles at an imaginary target.
The missile test, in which a hypersonic cruise missile was used, came a week after two Russian strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear warheads flew over the Sea of Japan for more than 7 hours.
The circle of conflict is widening
A few hours after the Russian experience, Japan announced its condemnation of Moscow’s recent moves, and the Japanese Foreign Ministry announced that Tokyo will remain vigilant about Moscow’s moves, which have increased dramatically in the Sea of Japan with the continuation of the Ukraine crisis.
On the other hand, North Korea continues to launch ballistic missiles continuously in the Sea of Japan region, which is met with international condemnation, especially from South Korea, Japan and the United States of America.
Here, Matyushin Victor, a specialist in resolving international conflicts at the Ukrainian University of Tavrisky, sees that the circle of conflict is expanding internationally as a result of what he described as “Russian recklessness” that continues to threaten all neighboring countries and the regional periphery, according to his description, pointing to the existence of a Russian plan to aggravate the situation in that region as a kind of type. Punishment for Tokyo.
Matyushin Victor added, during his statements to “Sky News Arabia”, that Tokyo had already become a major player in the Ukrainian crisis and showed great solidarity and abandoned the policy of distancing itself, and this was evident through the visit of its prime minister last week to Kiev and his pledge to provide support for it in its war against Moscow.
Since the beginning of the year, tension has escalated between Moscow and Tokyo against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and the latter’s increase in the defense budget. Among the most recent escalatory steps between them:
- Russian strategic aircraft flew over the Sea of Japan for 7 hours, accompanied by fighter jets.
- The Russian Navy launched a “Caliber” missile from the Sea of Japan at an imaginary land target.
- Moscow’s withdrawal from talks aimed at signing a peace treaty on the Kuril Islands.
- Deployment of “Bastion” coastal defense missiles in the Kuril Islands.
- Firing Mosquito cruise missiles at an imaginary target.
- Japan increased its defense budget and imposed sanctions on Moscow.
Russian concern from Tokyo
Moscow’s moves towards Tokyo, according to a Russian academic, come within the scope of the Japanese hostility that has clearly appeared as he described it during the past months, and heralds the beginning of the formation of a new alliance against Russia in Asia through Japan.
Hoffman-Marchenko added, during his statements to “Sky News Arabia”, that Moscow is closely following the development of Japan’s military capabilities, after it recently sharply intensified the modernization of its military capabilities, and is also raising the pace of dangerous activities near the Russian borders, including conducting maneuvers. Extensive partnership with Washington and NATO.
Marchenko said that Moscow will increase the deployment of new military facilities in the coming period, including radar stations for missile attack warning systems near the Kuril Islands, to cover all areas of the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan, and to provide protection for the Russian fleet in the Pacific Ocean.
In the context of insurance, Marchenko indicated that the submarine forces of the Pacific Fleet had received two nuclear-powered submarines, namely the strategic cruiser “Prince Oleg” and the nuclear-powered winged missile cruiser “Novosibirsk”.