Medvedev: Kurils Were, Are, and Will Be Russian

Medvedev: The Kuril Islands have been, are, and will be Russian territory.

Consensus

Dmitriy Medvedev stated that the Kuril Islands were, are, and will remain Russian territory.
Medvedev dismissed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaiti’s claims that the Kurils are historically Japanese.
Medvedev warned that those who do not accept Russia's sovereignty over the Kurils will face severe consequences.
President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup Island in the Kuril chain on August 13.
Japan expressed strong protest over Putin's visit to Iturup.
Japan considers four southern Kuril Islands, including Iturup, as its territory based on historical and international law.
The dispute over the Kurils has prevented the signing of a peace treaty between Russia and Japan since WWII.

Russia summoned its ambassador to Japan's Foreign Ministry for clarification after the visit. — kommersant
Russia refers to the 1956 Moscow Declaration, which allows for the transfer of two islands after a peace treaty is signed. — vedomosti
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Russia-Japan relations have reached a point of no return due to Japan's actions. — vm
The visit by Putin to Iturup is described as a clear signal to Tokyo that the Kurils are Russian land. — vesti
Putin's visit to Iturup caused the news to trend in Japan's X social media segment, with over 2,000 comments in half an hour. — m24