Two Russian warships were observed Tuesday off the eastern coast of Taiwan, and the island’s defence ministry reported that Taiwan dispatched its own aircraft and ships to keep watch.
The ministry said in a statement late Tuesday that the two frigates went near Taiwan’s east coast and then departed from our response zone in a southeasterly direction off the port city of Suao, which is home to a major Taiwanese navy station.
“Taiwan’s military dispatched aircraft and ships to keep watch and activated shore-based missile systems”, the statement continued.
The statement did not provide any further specifics.
According to Russia’s Interfax news agency, a detachment of ships from the Russian Pacific Fleet had entered the southern Philippine Sea on Tuesday to execute operations as part of a long-distance sea journey.
Taiwan has joined the United States and its allies in imposing broad sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.
Taiwan, which China considers its own territory, has repeatedly reported Chinese naval ships and air force aircraft patrolling around the island during the last three years as Beijing strives to assert its territorial claims.
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