The Russian Foreign Ministry registers a protest over joint drills near its borders
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that Moscow formally protested to the Japanese Embassy in response to ongoing military exercises conducted by Japan in conjunction with the United States and Australia near Hokkaido, a Japanese island positioned close to the Russian border. The announcement from Russia’s Foreign Ministry underscored the seriousness of the objection and framed the situation as one of strategic concern for regional stability.
According to the ministry, on December 18 a strong protest was delivered to the Japanese Embassy in Moscow concerning the regular drills that involved the armed forces of the United States, alongside Japan and Australia, near Hokkaido. The Russian side characterized these exercises as provocative and warned that their proximity to Russia could heighten operational risk and misperceptions in a sensitive border zone.
Earlier reports noted that Moscow had already voiced objections to Australia’s participation in exercises close to Russia’s borders, held on Hokkaido. The Russian authorities emphasized that the location of these drills—within striking distance of Russia—creates added tension and complicates existing security dynamics in the Northeast Asia region.
The Foreign Ministry went further to point out that Canberra’s decision to bolster security and political ties with Washington and Tokyo could be interpreted as a dangerous step along an escalating path. Officials argued that such alignment risks inflaming regional rivalries and contributing to a broader arc of instability in the Asia-Pacific area.
Contemporary comments from Moscow also referenced sanctions and other measures that have affected various Australian government and related entities—an element Moscow described as part of a broader response to the evolving security landscape in the area.