Russia says it test-fired anti-ship missiles in Sea of Japan

Photo: The Canadian Press

Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow.

Russia's Defense Ministry says Moscow has test-fired anti-ship missiles in the Sea of Japan.

The ministry said Tuesday that two boats launched a simulated missile attack on a mock enemy warship about 100 kilometres away. The ministry said the target was successfully hit by two Moskit cruise missiles.

The Moskit, whose NATO reporting name is the SS-N-22 Sunburn, is a supersonic anti-ship cruise missile that has conventional and nuclear warhead capacity.

It said the exercise took place in the Peter the Great Gulf in the Sea of Japan but did not give more precise coordinates. The gulf borders the Russian Pacific Fleet headquarters at Fokino and is about 700 km from Japan's northern Hokkaido Island.

Japan's Defense Ministry had no immediate response. The U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Russian nuclear-capable Tu-95 bombers flew over the Sea of Japan for several hours last week.

In September, Japan protested multinational military exercises on the Russian-held Kuril Islands — some of which are claimed by Japan — and expressed concern about Russian and Chinese warships conducting shooting drills in the Sea of Japan.

Russia also tested submarine-launched missiles in the Sea of Japan last year.