Russia Flexes Military Muscle, Announces Naval Base In Kuril Islands

Russia will establish a naval base in the Kuril Islands — the island chain that stretches north across the Pacific Ocean from the Japanese island of Hokkaido to the southern tip of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula — First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Franz Klintsevich has said.

Klintsevich told the Russian news agency, Interfax, the decision was made earlier, and the implementation was already underway. According to the senator, there were some organizational issues over the creation of the base, Interfax reported Thursday.

In 2016, there were reports that Russia would start constructing a new Pacific Fleet base on the Matua Island in the Kuril Islands chain. The Defense Ministry along with the Russian Geographical Society had also sent a research expedition to the Matua Island in May 2016.

The naval bases that will be built on the Kuril Islands will be capable of receiving any ships, Klintsevich told Sputnik. "The base, if it is built, will be able to receive any ships, including capital ships." He also added the work on the Navy base is expected to begin soon.

"Everything goes strictly according to plan, without emergency jerks, the work will begin in near future."

In February, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had announced the Navy base division would be stationed in the archipelago in 2017. In May, the press service of the Eastern Military District — one of the four operational strategic commands of the Russian Armed Forces — announced the entry of new armaments and military equipment such as drones into the arsenal of the division, Sputnik reported.

During a visit to Japan, Shoigu clarified that the division "is being created not against someone, but exclusively for the protection of the territory of the Russian Federation."

The establishment of the new base on Matua will be beneficial for Russia as it is an advantageous location for a new base of the Russian Pacific Fleet. The facility will also enhance Moscow's strategic capabilities in the Pacific region, Sputnik reported, citing analysts.

The new naval base would change the military and political balance in the Pacific region, Ivan Konovalov, Director, Center For Strategic Environment, said. "A new base will be a concern for the United States. President Barack Obama announced a strategic shift to the Pacific. This is why Washington will not be happy about a new Russian base in the region," he asserted in July 2016.

The navy base will also enhance Moscow's capability of strategic deterrence of the U.S. and NATO, Mikhail Alexandrov, a military analyst the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, told Svobodnaya Pressa, according to Sputnik.

The base could be used for Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers capable to carry Kh-101 long-range cruise missiles. These long-range bombers may be helpful in strategic aviation.

Alexandrov also said the base would also contribute to the deployment of Russian missile-carrying nuclear submarines. Aircraft deployed to the base will be capable of tracking U.S. submarines in the region.