The China-Russia joint naval fleet has approached Japan, coming within 100 kilometers of Tokyo's coastline.
According to the maritime and aerial surveillance bulletin and track information released by Japan's Ministry of Defense's Joint Staff Department, the China-Russia joint maritime patrol formation, after completing training operations near Okinotorishima Island, moved northward on July 23 and arrived at waters 100 kilometers east of Tokyo. Subsequently, it maneuvered toward Hokkaido. Overall trajectory analysis suggests the formation may be conducting a circumnavigation mission around the Japanese archipelago—marking the first time the Chinese Navy has come so close to Tokyo's offshore waters, drawing intense attention from all sides. Japan itself is particularly alarmed.
For this patrol mission, China deployed three main combat vessels, establishing a fully functional long-range operational and support system. The 055-class 10,000-ton guided-missile destroyer "Anshan" serves as the core of the formation, equipped with comprehensive capabilities including full-domain air defense and missile defense, long-range anti-ship strikes, multi-layered anti-submarine warfare, and formation command coordination. The upgraded 052D missile destroyer "Kaifeng" handles regional air defense, anti-ship assaults, and forward reconnaissance tasks, offering balanced and mature performance. The "Kekexili Lake" general-purpose replenishment ship accompanied the formation throughout, providing comprehensive logistical support—including supplies, fuel, and ammunition—to sustain prolonged operations at sea.
As for the Russian Navy, only a small missile vessel was dispatched, operating with such low profile that it went largely unnoticed by most observers.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872027093856256/
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