Russia Successfully Launches Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile into the Sea of ​​Japan, Tokyo Watches Closely

Russia's P-270 Moskit supersonic cruise missile. (Wikimedia Commons/Jno~commonswiki)

JAKARTA - The Russian Navy successfully fired a supersonic anti-ship missile at a training target in the Sea of ​​Japan, said a Russian Defense Ministry report on Tuesday.

"In the waters of the Sea of ​​Japan, missile ships of the Pacific Fleet fired Moskit cruise missiles at enemy sea targets," the ministry said in a statement on its Telegram account.

"The target, which was located at a distance of about 100 kilometers (62.14 miles), was successfully hit by a direct hit from two Moskit cruise missiles," the statement continued.

Meanwhile, citing Al Jazeera's Associated Press, the Russian Ministry of Defense said Tuesday's exercise took place in Peter the Great Bay, Sea of ​​Japan, but did not give more precise coordinates.

The P-270 Moskit missile, which has the NATO reporting name SS-N-22 Sunburn, is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile capable of destroying a ship at a range of up to 120 km (75 mi).

The firing of the missiles came a week after two Russian strategic bombers, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, flew over the Sea of ​​Japan for more than seven hours, with Moscow calling them "planned flights".

Separately, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tokyo would remain vigilant against Moscow's military operations, adding that no damage had been reported following the missile launch.

"As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, Russian forces are also becoming more active in the Far East, including around Japan," Minister Hayashi told a news conference.

Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Ministry official in charge of Russia Tasuku Matsuki said Japan had no plans to protest the missile drills, noting the exercise site, Peter the Great Bay, is considered to be the coast of Russia, even though it faces the waters between the two countries.

"Overall, Japan is concerned about the increased Russian military activity around Japan's coast and is watching it with great concern," Matsuki said.