Putin: "I will definitely visit the Kuril Islands, disputed with Japan over sovereignty"

"Claims of Rising to the World's 5th Largest Economy Despite Western Pressure"

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on the 11th (local time) that he plans to visit the Kuril Islands (called the Northern Territories by Japan), which are subject to a territorial dispute with Japan. Although he did not specify the exact timing of the visit, if it takes place, it will be President Putin's first visit to the Kuril Islands.

Russian President Vladimir Putin
[Photo by AFP Yonhap News]

According to RIA Novosti, President Putin met with entrepreneurs from the Far East region in Khabarovsk, Russia, on the same day and said about the Kuril Islands, "Unfortunately, I have not been there yet, but I will definitely go." While not mentioning the specific timing or location of the visit, President Putin said, "I have heard that the Kuril Islands are a very interesting place," and expressed support for the idea of developing a tourism cluster in the area.

Russia and Japan are engaged in a territorial dispute over four islands at the southern end of the Kuril Islands: Kunashir, Iturup, the Habomai islets, and Shikotan. Currently, these islands are administered by Russia's Sakhalin Oblast. Russia claims sovereignty over the four islands, arguing that they became part of the former Soviet Union after World War II.

Meanwhile, President Putin said at the meeting that Russia's economic growth rate last year is expected to be higher than the forecast (3.5%). He explained, "We thought the Russian economy would shrink by 2.1% in 2022, but in reality, it decreased by 1.2%," adding that the growth rate could be higher than 4% last year.

Earlier, at a press conference held in Moscow in December last year, President Putin also forecasted a 3.5% increase in Russia's gross domestic product (GDP) despite Western sanctions. He emphasized that the Russian economy remains robust, noting that manufacturing grew by 7.5% compared to 2022.

President Putin also claimed that Russia is the world's fifth-largest economy. He said, "It seems like we are being strangled and pressured from all sides, but we still have the largest economy in Europe," adding, "We have surpassed Germany and ranked fifth in the world (based on GDP by purchasing power parity), following China, the United States, India, and Japan."