US and Japan can “lock” Russia’s Pacific fleet if they control the Southern Kurils
Japan Business Press magazine believes that the four islands of the Kuril Islands, which Japan wants to claim as its territory, could be an ideal location to deploy US missiles due to their convenient geographical location.
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| A corner of the Kuril Islands. Photo: Sputnik |
The article said that deploying air defense weapons on the islands would strengthen the defenses of the US and Japan against the threat of North Korean ballistic missile attacks. At the same time, Iturup Island was called the most suitable place to deploy missiles.
In addition, the publication believes that the deployment of US missiles on Iturup Island will allow Washington to block the port of Vladivostok, the base of the Pacific Fleet.
Thanks to these four islands, Russia controls the unfrozen Catherine Channel between Kunashir and Iturup islands, giving its fleet access to the open sea, the author of the article added.
"If Russia returns to Japan all four islands or even just three, except Iturup, then there is a possibility that Japan and the United States will block the Catherine Strait," - the article quotes.
In addition, the publication believes that in case US air defense systems are deployed on these islands, it will be possible to track Russian missile launches from the Sea of Okhotsk more quickly./.
