MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov met with Japanese Ambassador to Russia Toyohisa Kozuki earlier in the day, where the envoy was briefed on the preparations for the first 48-hour humanitarian pause in Aleppo. Antonov invited his Japanese counterparts to join the mission, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
At their meeting Thursday, Antonov additionally expressed concern to Kozuki that US missile system deployment in the Asia-Pacific negatively impacts regional and military stability.
In July, South Korea and the United States announced that they had agreed to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system in the South Korean Seongju County amid increased tensions on the peninsula.
Japan's Envoy Informed of Russian Armed Forces' Snap Combat Readiness Inspection
Snap combat readiness inspections are running across Russia's Southern, Western and Central military districts, as well as the Northern Fleet, Aerospace Forces and Airborne Troops on August 25-31.
“These exercises are carried out in strict compliance with all of Russia’s international obligations,” Antonov said as quoted by the ministry.
The ministry added that the sides positively assessed the practice of joint exercises, General Staff-level consultations and navy-to-navy interactions, as well as outlined the prospects of multilateral Asia-Pacific military cooperation.
