Russia Fires Missiles at Islands Japan Claims as Its Own

Japan has condemned Russia’s latest missile drills near a group of disputed islands, just days after President Vladimir Putin visited the area. Russia’s Pacific fleet said Thursday it launched Bastion surface-to-ship missiles from Etorofu, the largest of the islands. The military described the exercise as a simulated attack on enemy vessels, saying all targets were hit from about 300 kilometers away. The islands are known as the Kuril Islands in Russia but are called the Northern Territories by Japan. Both countries claim them, and the dispute has prevented them from signing a formal peace treaty after World War II. Tokyo called the drills unacceptable, adding to rising tensions between the two neighbors. Putin’s trip to the region last week had already drawn sharp criticism from Japan’s government.