Moscow. June 29. INTERFAX A detachment of Pacific Fleet Support vessels (Pacific Fleet) is taking part in the expedition of the Russian Geographical Society (RGS) to the Kuril Islands, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported on Wednesday.
"On the eve of the detachment of vessels left the bases of the Pacific Fleet with representatives of the Center for Underwater Research of the Russian Geographical Society on board and is currently making the transition to the place of expeditionary work in the area of the waters of Matua Island," the report said.
According to the agency, the rescue vessel "Igor Belousov" and the small hydrographic vessel "Alexander Rogotsky" are involved in the underwater research expedition of the Russian Navy and the Center for Underwater Research (CPI) of the Russian Federation to the islands of the Kuril Ridge.
On board the Igor Belousov there is a manned underwater vehicle (OPA) "C-Explorer 3.11", "with the use of which additional examination of the bottom surface near Matua will be carried out," the report says.
"Divers will also dive to depths exceeding 100 meters as part of experimental descents. The results of the joint expedition of the TOPH and the RGS CPI will be made public after carrying out the full range of tasks assigned to the researchers," the press release says.
In recent years, Russia has significantly increased its military grouping on the Kuril Islands.
In particular, the Russian military informed about the creation of an airfield on Matua that accepts light military transport aircraft. In 2016, it was reported about plans to create a base point for Russian Navy ships on Matua.
On December 2 last year, the TOPH reported that Russia had deployed Bastion coastal missile systems on Matua.
The Bastion complex (NPO Mashinostroeniya, Tactical Missile Armament Corporation) is designed to protect the seashore and defeat surface ships of various classes and types operating as part of amphibious formations, convoys, ship and aircraft carrier strike groups, as well as single ships and ground-based radio-contrast targets in conditions of intense fire and electronic countermeasures. Bastion complexes are deployed in all fleets of the Russian Navy. The flight range of the Onyx Bastion cruise missile is up to 500 km.
In April 2019, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the introduction of an air defense alert zone on the Kuril Island of Kunashir. On December 1, 2020, the Eastern Military District announced that the S-300V4 system was deployed on the Kuril Islands. The newspaper of the Pacific Fleet "Combat Watch" in the fall of 2016 wrote that Russia had placed new coastal missile systems "Bal" and "Bastion" on Iturup and Kunashir.
In August 2018, it was reported that modern multi-purpose Su-35 fighters were deployed at Yasny Airport on Iturup Island.
A machine-gun and artillery division has been deployed on the Kuril Islands. In May 2017, the VVO press service reported that the division was receiving new samples of weapons and military equipment, including drones.
It was also reported that the group in the Kuril Islands was reinforced with upgraded T-72B3 tanks.
