Russia protests US-Japan military drills, citing security concerns near its borders

Russia has lodged a formal protest with the Japanese Embassy in Moscow over the Joint Exercise 2025, a large-scale military drill held across Japan from October 20 to 31, including areas on Hokkaido Island near Russian territory.

In a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Moscow described the exercises as “provocative military activity” that pose a “potential threat to the security of Russia’s Far Eastern borders," Caliber.Az reports. 

The ministry also voiced concern over the continued presence of a Typhoon ground-based missile complex battery on the Japanese archipelago. The system, capable of launching medium- and short-range missiles, was deployed at the US military base in Iwakuni during the Japan-US Resolute Dragon 25 exercises, held from September 11 to 25, and has “not yet been removed,” according to the statement.

Russia warned that it “reserves the right to take necessary compensatory measures” to maintain what it called an “adequate level of security.”

By Sabina Mammadli