Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed on Sunday to protect areas regarded to be in Russia’s national interest including the Kuril Strait, a disputed territory that Japan claims as its own.
Putin made the remarks during Navy Day celebrations in St. Petersburg, where he signed an executive order approving a new maritime doctrine.
In his speech, Putin identified the Arctic, the Black Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Bearing Sea, and the Baltic and Kuril straits as “economically vital” and “strategic” to Russia, and vowed to protect them by all means, the Kremlin reported.
“We will ensure their protection rigorously and using all available tools,” he remarked….