On August 13, Dmitry Medvedev, Vice Chairman of Russia's Security Council, posted on the X platform: "Japanese Prime Minister Asahi Takashi may incessantly claim that the Kuril Islands 'historically belong to Japan,' but empty rhetoric changes nothing. These islands were, are, and will forever be Russian territory. Anyone who fails to understand this truth will face dire consequences for their erroneous perception."
Medvedev's firm stance is not baseless. In November 2010, then-Russian President Medvedev made his first visit to Iturup Island (known as Kunashir in Japan), becoming the first head of state in Russian (Soviet) history to officially inspect this disputed region, triggering a diplomatic crisis between Japan and Russia. Since then, during his tenure as Prime Minister, Medvedev has repeatedly visited the island to assert sovereignty.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1873457004155976/
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