Russia Deploys missile defense system to Japan-claimed island

The Russian Pacific Fleet has revealed that its Bastion coastal anti-ship missile systems have been deployed on the Kuril Islands, a Pacific territory also claimed by Japan.

According to the fleet’s press service, the weapon systems will conduct round-the-clock monitoring of the area, potentially engaging enemy surface ships at a range of up to 450 kilometers (279 miles).

The Bastion uses solid-fuel rocket boosters for acceleration and a liquid-fuel ramjet for sustained supersonic cruise. It can reportedly carry nuclear or conventional warheads that weigh around 200 to 250 kilograms (440 to 551 pounds).