The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Moscow has expressed its protest to Japan regarding its intention to conduct a series of military exercises near the Russian borders.
According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry published on its website, as reported by the Russian agency "Sputnik", "On June 28, a strong-worded protest was presented to the Japanese Embassy in Russia regarding the plans of the Japanese authorities to conduct joint military maneuvers with Germany and Spain on the island of Hokkaido near the Russian borders from July 19 to July 25." The statement added: "We have made it clear to the Japanese side that engaging in any provocative military activity near our borders in the Far East, including those conducted in cooperation with NATO countries that do not belong to the region, is not permissible, and we consider such activities as a potential threat to Russia's security." The statement emphasized that "sufficient countermeasures have been warned to enhance defensive capabilities and protect Russia's sovereignty." It confirmed that "the irresponsible policy pursued by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's administration is putting Tokyo on a dangerous path of escalating tensions in Northeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region as a whole." It is worth noting that the spokesperson for the US forces in the Asia-Pacific region stated to "Sputnik" earlier that the United States intends to deploy medium-range missile systems in the Asia-Pacific region by the end of this year. The US Army announced on April 15 that for the first time, a medium-range missile system "MRSC" was deployed in the Philippines.