India, Aug. 19 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's first-ever historic visit to the disputed Kuril Islands on 13 August 2026 has ignited a fierce diplomatic row. The trip has infuriated Tokyo and is expected to drive Japan into a deeper diplomatic and defensive embrace of Ukraine.

Putin's Historic Visit to Disputed Kuril Islands

Putin toured public and industrial infrastructure on Iturup (known as Etorofu in Japan), the largest of the four southern islands seized by the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. The timing was highly provocative, occurring just two days before the 81st anniversary of Japan's WWII surrender. Analysts view the trip as a calculated move to punish Japan for its strong stance against Moscow's invasion of U...