【Japan Ministry of Defense: Chinese and Russian Naval Task Force Sails Past Iwo Jima】
According to the Joint Staff Office of Japan's Ministry of Defense on July 21, 2026: Around 6 a.m. on July 21, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force detected four vessels sailing northeast approximately 170 kilometers southeast of South Iwo Jima. The vessels included: China's Type 055 guided-missile destroyer Anshan (hull number 103), Type 052D guided-missile destroyer Kaifeng (hull number 124), Type 903 general replenishment ship Kekexili Lake (hull number 903), and Russia's Project 20380 corvette Zhestokiy (hull number 343).
Subsequent observations confirmed that the task force later sailed northward about 220 kilometers east of Iwo Jima.
It is reported that this task force is the same group that sailed south through the waters between Okinawa Island and Miyako Island on July 16 (Thursday), and then proceeded northeastward in the southwestern waters of Oki-no-shima on July 19 (Sunday). Notably, the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer with hull number 124 was the same vessel conducting shooting drills approximately 180 kilometers southwest of Oki-no-shima on July 19.
The Japan Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces dispatched the destroyer "Samidare," belonging to the 2nd Escort Squadron and based at Kure Naval Base, to conduct surveillance and intelligence gathering operations against the task force.
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Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871365409680388/
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