Medvedev says Kuril Islands will remain Russian territory after Putin visit and Japanese protest
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Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said on X that the Kuril Islands "were, are and will remain Russian territory" in response to Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi's claim that the archipelago historically belongs to Japan. President Vladimir Putin visited the disputed islands on August 13, prompting a strong protest from Japan's Foreign Ministry.
Medvedev's Warning on Kuril Islands
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said on X that Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi's claim over the Kuril Islands would change nothing. He wrote that the islands "were Russian territory, are Russian territory and will remain Russian territory." Medvedev added that those who do not accept the situation would face "serious consequences." The islands passed to the Soviet Union in 1945.
Putin's Visit and Japan's Protest
President Vladimir Putin visited the Kuril Islands on August 13, the same day Medvedev published his statement. Japan's Foreign Ministry said it "strongly protested" the visit. The islands were under Japanese control until the end of World War II, when they passed to the Soviet Union in 1945. Takaichi had described the archipelago as "historically belonging to Japan."
What's Next
Neither Moscow nor Tokyo has announced new bilateral talks on the Kuril Islands after the August 13 statements. It remains unclear whether Medvedev's threat of "serious consequences" will translate into concrete measures against Japan.
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Medvedev says Kuril Islands will remain Russian territory after Putin visit and Japanese protest
