Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Politics

Russia fires supersonic anti-ship missile at mock target in Sea of Japan

A still image from video, released by Russia's Defence Ministry, shows what it said to be a missile ship of Russia's Pacific Fleet firing a Moskit cruise missile at a mock enemy sea target in the waters of the Sea of Japan, in this still image taken from video released March 28, 2023. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

Russia's navy fired supersonic anti-ship missiles at a mock target in the Sea of Japan, the Russian defence ministry said on Tuesday.

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

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

A still image from video, released by Russia's Defence Ministry, shows what it said to be a missile ship of Russia's Pacific Fleet firing a Moskit cruise missile at a mock enemy sea target in the waters of the Sea of Japan, in this still image taken from video released March 28, 2023. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

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

Japan's foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tokyo will stay vigilant against Moscow's military operations, while adding that no damage had been reported after the missile launches.

"As Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, Russian forces are also becoming more active in the Far East, including Japan's vicinities," Hayashi told a regular press conference.

A still image from video, released by Russia's Defence Ministry, shows what it said to be a missile ship of Russia's Pacific Fleet firing a Moskit cruise missile at a mock enemy sea target in the waters of the Sea of Japan, in this still image taken from video released March 28, 2023. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

The firing of the missiles comes a week after two Russian strategic bomber planes, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, flew over the Sea of Japan for more than seven hours in what Moscow said was a "planned flight".

Asked about Russia's plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Hayashi said Japan condemned the move and demanded Russia and Belarus to stop "such an action that would further increase tensions".

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne, Additional reporting by Kantaro Komiya in Tokyo; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

A still image from video, released by Russia's Defence Ministry, shows what it said to be a missile ship of Russia's Pacific Fleet firing a Moskit cruise missile at a mock enemy sea target in the waters of the Sea of Japan, in this still image taken from video released March 28, 2023. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.