Russia conducts missile tests near disputed Kuril Islands following Putin visit

The Russian Pacific Fleet executed missile drills near the Southern Kuril Islands, territory claimed by Japan, shortly after President Putin's first visit to the region. This action marks a tactical escalation in the long-standing territorial dispute, following the Russian Foreign Ministry's formal summoning of the Japanese Ambassador. It remains unclear if the timing of the drills was a direct response to Tokyo's diplomatic protests or a pre-planned exercise.