Russia held ceremonies Tuesday in the far eastern region of Sakhalin and other places to mark the former Soviet Union’s victory over Japan in World War Two.
On September 2, 1945, Japan signed surrender documents. Russia designates September 3 as a day to celebrate its victory.
The ceremonies featured military parades and other activities, and their locations included a group of Russian-controlled islands claimed by Japan.
Japan calls the islands the Northern Territories. The Japanese government maintains the islands are an inherent part of Japan’s territory. It says the islands were illegally occupied after World War Two.
On Etorofu, one of the islands, a parade was held by Russian soldiers stationed in the territory. Government officials and residents offered silent prayers and placed flowers at a monument.
At an event in the central city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in Sakhalin, Governor Valery Limarenko said September 3 is a memorable day as it marked the beginning of the Sakhalin region in its present-day borders, reiterating its position on the islands claimed by Japan.
Meanwhile, about 15 people protested outside the Japanese Consulate General in Sakhalin. One placard read, “Get out of Russia if Japan supports Ukraine.”
A protester insisted that the islands are Russian territory, not Japanese.
Japan maintains its policy of working to resolve the territorial issue and sign a peace treaty with Russia.
But Russia unilaterally suspended peace treaty negotiations after it invaded Ukraine in 2022.