Japan, a key United States security ally, detected Russian warships near its territory as Moscow deployed its navy on a “long-distance” mission in the Asia-Pacific region.
Newsweek has emailed both the Russian defense and foreign ministries for comment.
Why It Matters
In a defense white paper published earlier this year, Japan said it faces strong security concerns because of Russia’s continued military activity near the country and its alignment with China, which President Vladimir Putin once called “a partnership without limits.”
Japan is part of two north-south defensive lines in the western Pacific under America’s island chain strategy, which aims to project the military power of the U.S. and its allies and partners to deter and defend against potential Chinese and Russian aggression.
Russian naval vessels, including a missile cruiser that serves as the flagship of the country’s Pacific Fleet and a submarine capable of launching nuclear missiles, regularly transit near Japan as they deploy from and return to their home ports in the Far East.
What To Know
Japan’s Defense Ministry said three Russian naval vessels sailed between two outlying Japanese islands near Taiwan—Yonaguni and Iriomote—from Sunday to Monday as they moved from the East China Sea in the north to the Philippine Sea in the south.
The same Russian vessels were previously spotted transiting between Japan and the Korean Peninsula via the Tsushima Strait as they moved from the Sea of Japan—also called the East Sea in South Korea—toward the East China Sea.
Hull numbers provided by Japan’s Defense Ministry identified the Russian vessels as the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, the corvette Gremyashchy and a replenishment ship. The Japanese military has monitored them near the country since as early as October 3.
According to Russia’s Pacific Fleet, the Marshal Shaposhnikov and the Gremyashchy are currently on a long-distance deployment in the Asia-Pacific region with the sea tanker Boris Butoma. They departed from Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East on October 2.
The Russian vessels are expected to make several port calls in foreign countries, which the Pacific Fleet did not specify, and conduct other exercises during the deployment.
Meanwhile, the Russian intelligence ship Kareliya—identified by its hull number—was tracked by the Japanese military as it departed the Sea of Japan on Saturday and reached the Philippine Sea on Monday via the Tsushima Strait and the Miyako Strait.
The Miyako Strait is located between Japan’s Miyako Island and Okinawa Island and connects the East China Sea in the west with the Philippine Sea in the east. It remains unclear whether the Kareliya was dispatched in support of the Asia-Pacific deployment.
What People Are Saying
Japan’s defense white paper 2025 commented: “The Russian military is continuing active military activities in the vicinity of Japan and its surrounding areas, showing its tendency to deploy the latest military equipment in the Far East. Russia’s military activities in the Indo-Pacific region, including Japan, coupled with its strategic partnership with China, are posing a strong security concern.”
The Russian Pacific Fleet’s press office reported on October 2: “A group of the Pacific Fleet’s ships comprising the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, the corvette Gremyashchy and the large sea tanker Boris Butoma has departed from Vladivostok for long-distance deployment to accomplish missions in the Asia-Pacific region.”
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen how far the Russian naval vessels will operate during their Asia-Pacific deployment.
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