Putin: Russia will respond to any seizure of its commercial ships

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - International Service: According to the TASS news agency, Putin said yesterday, Wednesday, August 12, during a visit to the final stage of the Russian Pacific Fleet military exercise: Some countries are trying to restrict the movement of ships of Russian economic operators, including civilian ships, in violation of international maritime law, and have recently even considered the issue of seizing Russian ships and selling confiscated property.

The Russian President said: "Obviously, this is nothing but piracy and banditry. If this is implemented in practice, we will be forced to respond to them in the same way."

Putin stressed that if such measures are implemented, Russia reserves the possibility of a counter-reaction in any maritime area, including the Pacific Ocean, a region where, according to him, the potential for conflict is increasing due to the actions of Western countries.

He added: "NATO has penetrated this region, new military-political blocs are being created, and new weapons systems have been deployed here or are planned for deployment, which also pose a threat to our country."

 

Putin: Russia does not threaten Japan

In another part of his speech, the Russian president emphasized that Moscow has never threatened Japan and has no claims against it.

At the same time, Putin said that for the first time in its doctrinal documents, Tokyo has included Russia among the main threats to Japan.

He also referred to Japan's position on the war in Ukraine, saying that Tokyo has imposed sanctions on Russia without addressing the root causes of the conflict.

The Russian President said: “We would also like to understand the position of Japan, which was mentioned in the report of the commander of the Pacific Fleet; our neighbor, a country that, under the pretext of the events in Ukraine and without addressing the root causes of the conflict, imposed sanctions against Russia, which we did not take any steps to provoke.”

Putin stressed that Russia remains ready to find solutions and mutual compromises that are acceptable to its neighbors and partners.

“In conclusion, I would like to emphasize once again that Russia is strengthening its security in general and in different regions. We are always ready to find mutual compromises that are acceptable to all neighbors and all partners. At the same time, we are ready to do this on the basis of mutual interests.”

The Russian President also announced that Moscow is ready to cooperate with the countries of the region in the Arctic, including on the Northern Sea Route, within the framework of international law.

 

Moscow's emphasis on readiness to resolve the Kuril Islands issue

In another part of his speech, Putin addressed the territorial dispute between Russia and Japan over the Kuril Islands, saying that Moscow had been ready in the past to find a solution to this issue together with Tokyo.

The Russian president said that Japan still has territorial claims against Russia over the Kuril Islands, but the resolution of this issue is entrenched in international documents as a fact that emerged following the results of World War II.

However, Putin stressed that Russia was ready to reach an agreement with Japan and sign a peace treaty even on this issue.

He recalled that in the mid-1950s, the Soviet Union signed a statement with Japan that could pave the way for signing a peace treaty between the two countries. According to Putin, the Japanese side also signed this document, but later withdrew from it.

The Russian president added that after that, Russia agreed to Tokyo's request and resumed talks on finding ways to reach a peace treaty.

 

Putin visits Pacific Fleet military exercises

Vladimir Putin observed the final stage of the Russian Pacific Fleet military exercises from the deck of the Varyag guided missile cruiser.

During the visit, Putin wore a dark blue military uniform used on Russian warships and bearing the insignia of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces.

The Russian president arrived in the Sakhalin region in Russia's Far East on Wednesday morning to attend the final stage of the military exercises, Novosti news agency reported.

Putin was welcomed at the airport by Valery Limarenko, governor of the Sakhalin region. This is the first visit by a Russian president to Sakhalin in more than 13 years; Putin last visited the region in July 2013.

 

More than 13,000 servicemen are participating in the military exercises

The large-scale military exercises of the Russian Pacific Fleet began on August 4 under the command of Admiral Viktor Liina, the commander of the forces, and their final stage was held on Wednesday in the presence of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces.

This military exercise is considered the most important event of operational and combat readiness of the Russian Pacific forces this year.

According to published information, more than 60 ships, submarines and support vessels, nearly 30 aircraft, helicopters and drones, as well as drone systems, are participating in these exercises. The number of participating military forces has also been announced as more than 13 thousand people.

This military exercise is being held in the international waters of the Sea of ​​Japan, the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean, and its declared goal is to strengthen the defense capabilities of the Russian forces on the maritime borders, except Air and the coastal regions of the country's Far East.

As part of this military exercise, Russian forces are practicing the combined use of precision weapons, modern weapons and military equipment.

In recent days, Russia's Pacific forces have conducted a training naval battle with hypothetical enemy surface ships in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, and also repelled attacks by surface and air drones belonging to the hypothetical "enemy".

 

Putin's remarks during this military exercise come at a time when Moscow is simultaneously emphasizing strengthening its security and military readiness in the Far East and warning against the increased presence and military activities of Western countries and the creation of new security arrangements in the Pacific region.