The visit to Iturup underscores the Kremlin's firm control over the archipelago, which Japan refers to as the Northern Territories. Sovereignty over the islands has prevented the two nations from signing a formal peace treaty for nearly eight decades. While the Kremlin continues to project authority over the region, the diplomatic impasse shows no signs of thawing, leaving the status of the islands a central, unresolved legacy of the 1945 conflict.
Putin makes surprise visit to disputed Kuril Islands
Vladimir Putin arrived on Iturup this Thursday, marking a rare high-level visit to the remote volcanic island chain. The territory remains the primary wedge in Moscow's stalled diplomatic relations with Tokyo, serving as a persistent point of friction since the end of the Second World War.
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