# Kuril visit follows Pacific Fleet and Russia-China drills near Japan

https://mins.news/en/video/21755

- DW News, 2026-08-14 02:00 UTC
- World
- Original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxCvNkZlLZc

> Vladimir Putin’s first visit as Russian president to the disputed Kuril Islands prompted a formal protest from Tokyo. The move came amid closer military cooperation between Russia and China and North Korean support for Moscow’s war in Ukraine, raising questions about whether it reflects a bilateral territorial dispute or a wider test of Japan’s alignment with the West.

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