On Tuesday December 1st, 2020, Russian defense ministry announced the deployment of brand new missile systems, specifically those called S-300V4. The dicastery underlined how these missiles were designed to counteract any ballistic and air attacks that might occur in Iturup. The name is that of one of the four islands controlled by Moscow (Kuril) and that Japan claims (Tokyo is used to refer to this archipelago as "Northern Territories"). The move, as highlighted by the media in recent hours, should not please the Asian Nation. Anti-aircraft and short-range missile systems are already active on the disputed island, but today's novelty has been renamed as a sort of "heavy artillery".

The history of this area of the world is decidedly particular: the takeover by the Soviet Union dates back to the end of the Second World War, but the tension between the two Nations did not allow to reach a satisfactory agreement and to sign a treaty of peace. As a result, relations between Tokyo and Moscow remained strained for many years. Among other things, Japan is often "sensitive" to Russian military maneuvers in these islands that extend from the north-east in the part of Japanese Hokkaido to the Russian region of Kamchatka.

On the subject read also the article published by AVIONEWS.