The Russian Aerospace Forces or VKS will deploy combat aircraft on a disputed island – which Russia calls the Southern Kurils and Japan calls the Northern Territories – are the subject of a 60-year-old dispute between the two nations.
According to the official web portal of legal information, Russia will deploy combat jets on the island of Iturup (Etorofu) in the southern Kurils jointly at the Iturup Airport with the civilian aviation.
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Tokyo lays claim to Kunashir, Iturup, Shikotan and the Habomai group of islets. The territorial dispute has prevented the countries from signing a post-war peace treaty.
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The island chain is known as the Kurils also include Iturup (Etorofu) currently on Russia control. Russia took control of the islands at the end of the war, and by 1949 it had deported all residents to Japan. A 30,000-strong Russian community now lives on the islands and there is also a Russian military presence on Iturup.