Putin Makes First-Ever Visit to Disputed Kuril Islands, Prompting Japanese Protests

Vladimir Putin visited Iturup in the South Kuril Islands on August 13, 2026 — his first trip to the archipelago seized by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. Japan, which claims the four southernmost islands as the Northern Territories, issued a formal protest. The visit came as Russia concluded Pacific Fleet drills in the surrounding waters.