Russia Builds New Military Base On Disputed Islands

With the attention of the world focussed on Russian expansionism in Crimea and Ukraine the Kremlin has ordered the building of a new military base in the Pacific.

Announced by the defence minister Sergei Shoigu, the facility is to be built on the disputed Southern Kuril islands - territory claimed by both Moscow and Tokyo.

Russia seized the chain of islands, stretching from the northern coast of Japan to the Kamchatka Peninsula, in the closing stages of the Second World War and has refused ever since to relinquish its grip.

Commentators say the latest development is a direct response to the Japanese Prime Minister's recent visit to Kiev and his backing of Ukraine's president.

A programme of improvements to Russia's military presence on the island began in 2011 with the refurbishment of runways and the installation of missile defence systems.

Mistral class amphibious assault ships, to be built for Russia by the French, were also expected to have been deployed to the region until the order was postponed by President Hollande because of the Ukraine crisis.

The Russian Air Force regularly conducts flights over the Kurils leading in 2013 to Japan's Air Self-Defense Force scrambling jets to intercept SU-27 fighter aircraft which it maintains had entered Japanese airspace.

Vladimir Putin is expected to visit Tokyo later this year. If the summit does go ahead there's no doubt that Russia's flexing of its military might in the Pacific will be high on Shinzo Abe's agenda.