Russian and People’s Liberation Army naval groups made separate transits over the past week through Japan’s southwest region to enter the East China Sea, according to officials from the island country.
A Russian Navy task group consisting of submarine RFS Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (B-274), corvette RFS Gromkiy (335) and tugboat Andrei Stepanov were spotted April 21 sailing northeast around 50 kilometers south of Yonaguni Island and onward between Yonaguni Island and Iriomote Island to enter the East China Sea, Japan’s Joint Staff Office said. A Russian Navy surface action group, that included corvettes RFS Sovershenny (333) and RFS Rezkiy (343) and fleet oiler Pechenga, were spotted around midnight local time April 22 sailing the same route to enter the East China Sea.
Sovershenny, Rezkiy and Pechenga were later sighted Thursday sailing northeast around 130 kilometers southwest of the Goto Islands and through the Tsushima Strait to enter the Sea of Japan. Japanese minesweeper JS Yakushima (MSC-602), a P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft and a P-3C Orion MPA conducted surveillance on the Russian ships, according to the release.
As of publication, Japan has not released whether Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Gromkiy and Andrei Stepanov transited the Tsushima Strait. The task group departed in early March from Vladivostok, Russia, and have only made one port visit to Tanjung Priok port, North Jakarta, Indonesia, from March 29-April 2.
In contrast, Sovershenny, Rezkiy and Pechenga deployed the second week of February and made port calls to Penang, Malaysia; Thilawa, Myanmar; Visakhapatnam, India; Chittagong, Bangladesh; Sihanoukville, Cambodia; Zhanjiang, China. Russian state media Tass reported that the three ships returned Monday to their homeport of Vladivostok.
On Monday as well, Japan reported PLAN destroyer CNS Chengdu (120) and fleet oiler CNS Kekexilihu (903) were sighted sailing southwest around 80 kilometers northeast of Tsushima and subsequently sailed southwest through the Tsushima Strait into the East China Sea. Japanese fast attack craft JS Shirataka (PG-829) surveilled the Chinese ships.
Russian, Chinese Warships Sail Through Japan’s Southwest Region to East China Sea
April 28, 2026 11:29 AM
Russian and People’s Liberation Army naval groups made separate transits over the past week through Japan’s southwest region to enter the East China Sea, according to officials from the island country.
A Russian Navy task group consisting of submarine RFS Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (B-274), corvette RFS Gromkiy (335) and tugboat Andrei Stepanov were spotted April 21 sailing northeast around 50 kilometers south of Yonaguni Island and onward between Yonaguni Island and Iriomote Island to enter the East China Sea, Japan’s Joint Staff Office said. A Russian Navy surface action group, that included corvettes RFS Sovershenny (333) and RFS Rezkiy (343) and fleet oiler Pechenga, were spotted around midnight local time April 22 sailing the same route to enter the East China Sea.
Sovershenny, Rezkiy and Pechenga were later sighted Thursday sailing northeast around 130 kilometers southwest of the Goto Islands and through the Tsushima Strait to enter the Sea of Japan. Japanese minesweeper JS Yakushima (MSC-602), a P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft and a P-3C Orion MPA conducted surveillance on the Russian ships, according to the release.
As of publication, Japan has not released whether Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Gromkiy and Andrei Stepanov transited the Tsushima Strait. The task group departed in early March from Vladivostok, Russia, and have only made one port visit to Tanjung Priok port, North Jakarta, Indonesia, from March 29-April 2.
In contrast, Sovershenny, Rezkiy and Pechenga deployed the second week of February and made port calls to Penang, Malaysia; Thilawa, Myanmar; Visakhapatnam, India; Chittagong, Bangladesh; Sihanoukville, Cambodia; Zhanjiang, China. Russian state media Tass reported that the three ships returned Monday to their homeport of Vladivostok.
On Monday as well, Japan reported PLAN destroyer CNS Chengdu (120) and fleet oiler CNS Kekexilihu (903) were sighted sailing southwest around 80 kilometers northeast of Tsushima and subsequently sailed southwest through the Tsushima Strait into the East China Sea. Japanese fast attack craft JS Shirataka (PG-829) surveilled the Chinese ships.
Chengdu and Kekexilihu were among four PLAN ships that transited northeast through the Tsushima Strait on March 30-31 to enter the Sea of Japan, according to the release. The other two PLAN ships – cruiser CNS Lhasa (102) and destroyer CNS Guiyang (119) – have yet to transit back southwest through the Tsushima Strait.
A PLAN surface action group that includes f destroyer CNS Baotou (133) and frigate CNS Huanggang (577) operated around Japan’s southwest region from April 19-22. The PLAN surface group was sighted by Japanese frigate JS Yahagi (FFM-5) at 11 a.m., April 19, according to Japan’s Joint Staff Office. The PLAN ships sailed east around 60 kilometers southwest of Yokate Island and through the waters between Amami Oshima and Yokate Island to enter the Pacific Ocean.
The two PLAN ships were sighted again by Japanese forces around 3 a.m. local time April 22. Destroyer JS Akebono (DD-108) observed the two PLAN ships sailing northwest 80 kilometers south of Hateruma Island and through the waters between Yonaguni Island and Iriomote Island to enter the East China Sea.
China publicized the movements of its surface group in a rare announcement from the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command. According to the April 19 news release, the vessel formation was tasked with transiting the Yokoate Waterway to conduct training in the Western Pacific.
“This is a routine training organized in accordance with the annual plan. It complies with international law and practice and does not target any specific country or entity,” command spokesperson Senior Col. Xu Chenghua said in the release.
It is unclear whether the rare announcement was in response to Japan’s destroyer JS Ikazuchi (DD-107) transiting the Taiwan Strait on April 17 or if this is a new policy from China to publicize its naval operations.
The Southern Theater Command and China Military Bugle, the PLA’s official social media channel, issued releases and videos Friday on the operations of PLAN Naval Task Group 107 in the South China Sea. According to the releases, PLA Southern Theater Command recently dispatched a naval task group headed by cruiser CNS Zunyi (107) to conduct training exercises east of Luzon, Philippines. The exercises will focus on live-fire drills, air-sea coordination, rapid maneuver and replenishments-at-sea.
The exercises coincide with Balikatan 2026, a series of U.S.-Philippine led exercises in Luzon that focus on the defense of Manila’s strategic islands amid tensions with China
JMSDF destroyer Ikazuchi transited the Taiwan Strait on April 17, drawing criticism from China. PLA Eastern Theater Command spokesperson Xu said in a separate statement that the transit was “sending the wrong signals to Taiwan independence separatist forces.” According to Xu, the Eastern Theater Command deployed naval and air assets to track and monitor the Japanese ship.
“Forces of the Eastern Theater Command will remain on high alert at all times, and resolutely safeguard China’s sovereignty and security, as well as regional peace and stability,” reads the statement.
Ikazuchi’s transit of the Taiwan Strait marks the first under the Takaichi administration and is the fourth known transit in recent years.
Ikazuchi is part of Japan’s Indo-Pacific 2026 deployment, an annual presence in the region. This year’s deployment will span April 13-Sept. 16 and will include three surface units, a submarine unit, three air units, a Visit, Board, Search and Seizure unit and an engineer unit, according to a news release from Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force.
Ikazuchi is in the First Surface Unit, which consists of helicopter destroyer JS Ise (DDH-182), Ikazuchi and amphibious tank landing ship JS Shimokita (LST-4002). The group departed April 14 from Japan to head to the Philippines to participate in Balikatan 2026. Ikazuchi is slated to detach from the unit later to conduct independent taskings.
The Second Surface Unit includes multi-role cruiser JS Kaga (CVM-184), destroyer JS Fuyuzuki (DD-118) and fleet oiler JS Mashu (AOE-425). Fuyuzuki is also slated to depart later to participate in the U.S. Navy’s Rim of the Pacific 2026 exercise held in the Hawaiian Islands in the summer.
The Third Surface Unit consists of only destroyer JS Kongo (DDG-173). The Submarine Unit is a single submarine while the three air units are a US-2 Search and Rescue seaplane, a P-1 MPA and a UP-3D Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) training aircraft. The US-2 is expected to participate in Balikatan with the First Surface Unit.