The Pacific Ocean Fleet has become perhaps the most active group of the Russian Navy. Since the joint voyage with Chinese ships in October last year, Russian teams have regularly circled Japan. The Russian activity increased in particular on the eve of the “Vostok” exercises scheduled for the period from 30 August to 5 September. China is still actively cooperating with Russia, but there are more clashes in bilateral cooperation.
Recall: between 18 and 23 October last year, a team of ten Russian and Chinese ships sailed around Japan from the Pacific. The operation gained notoriety due to the size of the squadron, as well as the passage of ships along the Tsugaru Strait, separating Honshu from Hokkaido.
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The strait, twelve nautical miles wide, should in theory be classified as Japanese territorial waters. After Prime Minister Eisaku Satō declared the Three Nuclear Principles (Hikaku San Gensoku) in 1967, which effectively blocked the stockpiling of American nuclear weapons in Japan, Washington forced Tokyo to internationalize all straits between the Japanese Islands. In this way, the Americans secured the possibility of free movement of their nuclear arsenal around Japan in the event of World War III.
In the months that followed, Russian and Chinese ships avoided this provocative route. So what made the march of the Russian band through the La Pérouse Strait separating Japanese Hokkaido from Russian Sakhalin distinguished? On August 21-22, the core of the Pacific Ocean Fleet, a total of fourteen ships, passed that way, returning from exercises in the Pacific and the Sea of Okhotsk. The first group consisted of the destroyer Marshal Szaposznikow of project 1155 Friegat and three corvettes of project 20380/85 Stierieguszczij – Gieroj Rossijskoj Fiedieracyi Aldar Tsydenżapov, Griemiaszczij and Sowierszennyj. The second group included two project 1124 Albatros corvettes (Mietiel and Primorskij Komsomolets), four high-speed missile ships of Project 1241 Mołnia (R-11, R-14, R-18 and R-19), and with them the Marshal Krylov reconnaissance vessel of the 1914 Zodiak project, a Dubna-type supply vessel, the Irtysz hospital ship and a tugboat.
14 Russian Warships Enter Sea of Japan Ahead of Major Military Exercises – USNI Newshttps: //t.co/VtdGX76re1 pic.twitter.com/uOmLmqEtW5
– US Naval Institute (@NavalInstitute) August 23, 2022
In connection with the “Vostok” exercises through the Tsushima Strait, the Gromkij corvette of project 20380 returned to the Sea of Japan. The ship was returning from the Chinese Qingdao, where it participated in the maritime part of the military games organized by Russia, more widely known under the English name Army Games. The movements of Russian ships on both ends of the Japanese archipelago were monitored by the Naval Self-Defense Forces.
Participation in the organization of the competition and participation in “Vostok” are proof of the ongoing Russian-Chinese cooperation. After several weeks of confusion caused by the invasion of Ukraine, the Beijing leadership has reached a consensus on relations with Moscow. In the face of the protracted conflict, it was concluded that abandoning Russia would recognize the primacy of the United States. On the other hand, Chinese aid is limited to low-cost diplomatic and propaganda support. In the economic field, Chinese companies avoid exposing themselves to Western secondary sanctions, and the small Russian market is not worth the risk. In a broader perspective, a weakened Russia becomes a weaker and to some extent a more compliant partner, and in addition it offers raw materials at a discount.
On the other hand, in June, the deputy foreign minister Le Yucheng, who was responsible for relations with Russia, was dismissed. Considering that the policy of a strong rapprochement with Moscow is Xi Jiping’s original idea, its performer Le has become a scapegoat. At the same time, carrying out some of the exercises on the Kurils in dispute with Japan clearly does not suit Beijing. In a statement on August 17, the Chinese Ministry of Defense said that China’s participation in the maneuvers was unrelated to the current international situation.
Why such restraint in the face of the clinking of sabers against Japan? Nevertheless, Beijing wants to avoid a further deterioration in relations with Tokyo, especially with the approaching 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. There is also an ideological problem. In the 1960s, following a split with the Soviet Union, Mao recognized the legitimacy of Japanese claims to the southern Kurils. As the cult of Mao continues to play a vital role, it would be problematic for the Chinese Communist Party to change its stance.
‘Countries including India🇮🇳, Belarus🇧🇾, Tajikistan🇹🇯, Mongolia🇲🇳, will also send troops for the exercise.
The Chinese military’s participation in the exercise is unrelated to the current international and regional situation, but designed to deepen practical and friendly .. ‘4 /– Riikka Kevo 🇪🇺 (@riikka_kevo) August 18, 2022
This is not the only Sino-Russian scratch in recent months. In early July, the Russian ship approached the Senkaku islands, which are disputed with China. Tokyo did not provide many details, although the photos used in the presentation may be presumed to be a corvette of Griemiaschij. Presumably, the unit was looking for shelter from the impending typhoon Aere. Unexpectedly, the Chinese type 054A frigate was to approach the corvette and drive it out. There are suggestions from the Chinese side that the Russians did not announce their intention to enter the waters considered by China to be its own.
A strong Russian team consisting of destroyers Admiral Pantielejew and Marshal Szaposznikow of project 1155, corvettes Gromkij, Griemiaszczij and Gieroj Rossijskoj Fiedieracyi Aldar Cydienżapov together with the reconnaissance Marshal Krylov and Marshal Szaposznikow of project 1155, American-Japanese preparations for RIMPAC exercises.
The Chinese team, accompanied by Dongpinghu Supply Unit, has just returned from a cruise around Japan. The tour clearly showed a desire to demonstrate strength while avoiding antagonizing the Japanese. The destroyers passed through the La Pérouse Strait, and Dongpinghu and 794 – through the Tsugaru Strait. The passage of the reconnaissance vessel between the Japanese islands may have been less media-provocative in terms of the media, but at the same time much more dangerous for Japan in terms of the possibility of collecting intelligence.
See also: Quicksink – don’t stick it, it’s a bomb
Andshel, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
