Russia celebrates Soviet Union's WWII victory over Japan

Russia celebrates Soviet Union's WWII victory over Japan

Russia held a ceremony in its Far East region on Thursday to mark the former Soviet Union's victory over Japan during World War Two.

Japan signed surrender documents on September 2, 1945. Russia has designated September 3 as a day to celebrate its victory over Japan.

In Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the central city of the far eastern region of Sakhalin, about 500 members of the Russian military and security organizations paraded in a ceremony.

Sakhalin Governor Valery Limarenko said in a speech he delivered at a separate place that soldiers of the Far East liberated this land from Japan's control in August 1945, and Russia's borders are immovable. He reiterated Russia's position that four islands under Russian-control became the territory of Russia as a result of World War Two.

Russia controls the islands. Japan claims them. The Japanese government maintains the islands are an inherent part of Japan's territory. It says the islands were illegally occupied after World War Two.

Russia expressed its intention to suspend talks with Japan toward a peace treaty after Tokyo imposed sanctions on Moscow in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In August, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Etorofu Island, one of the four islands called the Northern Territories in Japan, for the first time. The visit is viewed as an attempt to exhibit Russia's effective control over the islands and strengthen checks on Japan.