MOSCOW -- Russia held military parades and other commemorative events in Sakhalin and the northern territories to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II on Thursday.
The Soviet military's "liberation" of the Far East was emphasized at the events.
Until last year, the Russian government marked the anniversary on Sept. 2, but this year, the date was changed after President Vladimir Putin signed a law in April to set the Soviet-era Sept. 3 anniversary as a national holiday to mark the victory over Japan.
Commemorative events were held on Etorofu, Kunashiri and Shikotan in the northern territories, which are inhabited by Russian civilians.
According to Sakhalin's local government, about 750 personnel took part in a military parade in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the capital of Sakhalin, which has de facto jurisdiction over the northern territories. A senior military officer gave a speech in which he justified the Soviets' participation in the war against Japan.
Meanwhile, a special website on the Soviet Union's involvement in the war against Japan was launched by the Russian defense ministry on Wednesday.
According to the Interfax news agency, Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of the Security Council and former prime minister said on Wednesday that it was "pointless" for Japan to react to Russia's actions in the Kuril Islands, which includes the northern territories, indicating that Russia would not make concessions on the territorial issue.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
