US May Form Military Alliance in Pacific in Response to New Russian Base
SputnikNews.com
02.07.2016
A new naval base on the Kuril Islands will bolster Russia’s military presence in the Pacific region. Some players will not be happy about this move, a military expert said.
Russia will start this year construction of a new Pacific Fleet base on Matua in the Kuril Islands chain.
In May, the Defense Ministry along with the Russian Geographical Society sent a research expedition to Matua Island.
A new Russian facility would disfavor some regional actors, Ivan Konovalov, head of the Center of Strategic Environment, told Radio Sputnik.
“A new base will be a headache for the United States. President Barack Obama announced a strategic shift to the Pacific. This is why Washington will not be happy about a new Russian base in the region,” he said.
At the same time, the base will not affect relations between Moscow and Tokyo, especially over Japan’s claims to the so-called Northern Territories in the Kuril chain.
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