https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/russia-sends-four-missile-warships-near-japan-after-putin-s-provocative-kuril-islands-visitContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/russia-sends-four-missile-warships-near-japan-after-putin-s-provocative-kuril-islands-visithttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/russia-sends-four-missile-warships-near-japan-after-putin-s-provocative-kuril-islands-visit#u44858Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:20:11 +0000Russia has sent four missile warships near Japan following President Vladimir Putin's visit to the disputed Kuril Islands, which Japan claims as its own. The visit and subsequent military deployment have heightened tensions between Russia and Japan. Japan has protested Putin's visit, calling it 'absolutely unacceptable'. The US has expressed support for Japan's sovereignty over the islands.Why it mattersThe Kuril Islands were seized from Japan by the Soviet Union in World War II. The islands are a source of ongoing tension between Russia and Japan, with Japan claiming