Russia threatens Japan with nuclear weapons over Kuril Islands dispute
Vyacheslav Volodin (photo: Getty Images)
Japan should remember that Russia has nuclear weapons, State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin said.
The Russian official claimed that Tokyo was resorting to confrontational rhetoric because of its territorial claims to the Kuril Islands.
Against this backdrop, he once again repeated the Kremlin propaganda narrative that the Kuril Islands "are an integral part of Russia."
Volodin also defiantly called on Japan to remember its history.
"Let them remember the times when militaristic Japan killed millions of civilians. Now they are trying to return to the same rhetoric. They should not. A nuclear power such as Russia cannot be defeated," the chairman of the Russian State Duma cynically threatened.
A new escalation in relations between Russia and Japan occurred on August 13.
It was then that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin visited the Kuril Islands, including Iturup Island, for the first time in his 26 years in power.
Against the backdrop of the latest developments, Tokyo lodged a strong protest with Moscow.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that Iturup, as well as Kunashir, Shikotan, and Habomai, are "inherent territories of Japan," and called the Russian president's trip "absolutely unacceptable."
Earlier, it was reported on how Japan's leader commented on Putin's visit to the Kuril Islands and what decision was made.
In addition, it became known that Tokyo is preparing a tough response to the Kremlin leader's latest provocation.
Moreover, it emerged that Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned Russian Ambassador to Tokyo Nikolay Nozdrev.
