Russia has deployed the crews of the Bastion coastal missile systems of the Pacific Fleet on the Kuril island of Paramushir in the northern part of the Kuril ridge.

 This is reported by "Kommersant".

 Equipment, personnel and material support were delivered to the island by amphibious ships.

 The Russian Ministry of Defense said that the missilemen will be on a 24-hour watch "to control the adjacent water area and strait zones".

 Disputed territories

 Japan considers the islands to be its northern territory, which was captured by the USSR authorities as a result of the Second World War.

 At the end of April this year, for the first time since 2003, Japan called the Kuril Islands illegally occupied by Russia. The impetus for this was Russia's war in Ukraine, which Japan strongly condemned. On the shelf of the Kuril Islands, there are large reserves of hydrocarbons, as well as the extremely rare metal rhenium, which is used in rocketry and aircraft construction.

 Previously, Japan recognized the occupation of the Kuril Islands. The government changed the name of the southern Kuril Islands in documents. They will now be called "the original territory of Japan which is under illegal occupation".

 Japan also called on Russia to exclude areas around the Kuril Islands for military exercises.

 It will be recalled that a year ago the crews were on combat duty on the island of Matua in the Kuril Range. In addition, coastal missile complexes "Bal" and "Bastion" were placed on the disputed islands of Iturup and Kunashir.