Russian Navy Surface Group Sailing to Southeast Asia

Dzirhan Mahadzir – October 9, 2025 3:25 PM

A Russian Navy Pacific Fleet surface group is in the Philippine Sea en route to Southeast Asia, according to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). 

The JMSDF tracked the Russian ships Sunday as they passed between two Japanese southwest islands to enter the Philippine Sea. 

Around 7 p.m. local time Sunday, destroyer RFS Marshal Shaposhnikov (543), corvette RFS Gremyashchy (337) and fleet oiler Boris Butoma were sighted sailing southwest some 37 miles northwest of Iriomote Island, according to a news released issued Monday by Japan’s Joint Staff Office (JSO). The warships sailed between Yonaguni Island and Iriomote Island, through the contiguous waters of Iriomote Island, to enter the Philippine Sea. JMSDF fleet oiler JS Tokiwa (AOE-423) shadowed the Russian ships.

Russian Navy surveillance ship Kareliya (535) was also sighted Friday sailing southwest in an area 55 miles northeast of Tsushima and from Friday to Saturday sailed through the Tsushima Strait. On Monday Kareliya sailed south in the waters between Okinawa and Miyako Strait to enter the Philippine Sea. Yahagi, Hirashima, destroyer escort Tone (DE-234) and a JMSDF P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) of Fleet Air Wing 4 based at Naval Air Facility Atsugi on the main island of Honshu shadowed the Russian ship. 

The Russian surface group departed Thursday from its home port of Vladivostok. The Russian Ministry of Defense has said the surface group is on a long-distance mission to perform tasks in the Pacific Rim. 

Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopters were embarked on the ships in Peter the Great Gulf, with the group conducting air defense and counter unmanned surface vehicles (USV) drills in the area. 

“During the mission, ships are expected to conduct a series of exercises at sea and visit several foreign ports with business calls,” reads the Russian Ministry of Defense news release. 

Russian state-owned television channel Zvezda TV embarked on the surface group and reported that while transiting the Korea Strait, the surface group was shadowed by South Korean and Japanese coast guard ships. No violations of international maritime regulations reportedly occurred.

“They are observing at the authorized distance,” stated the report.

The Russian Pacific Fleet routinely deploys to Southeast Asia to conduct joint exercises, training, engagement and port visits with countries in the region, except for Singapore, which imposed sanctions on Russia in February 2022 over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In retaliation, Russia in March of the same year placed Singapore on its list of unfriendly countries. Russian Navy ships no longer call into Singapore as the force had done in the past.

Russian Pacific Fleet deployments to Southeast Asia are sometimes coupled with deployments to the Middle East, as was the case with the last deployment to Southeast Asia. However, there has been no indication that the current deployment will include a voyage to the Middle East.

The last deployment, which included corvettes RFS Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov (339) and RFS Rezkiy (343) and fleet oiler Pechenga, ran from February to June. During that time, the surface group participated in the Indonesian Navy’s multilateral naval exercise Komodo 2025 in February before sailing to the Middle East to conduct joint naval drills with Iran and China in March. 

Following the Middle East exercises, the surface group made its way back to Southeast Asia, conducting exercises with Pakistan, India and Bangladesh along the way. The Russian surface group also conducted engagements and port visits with Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam before returning home.

Japan officials also reported that a Russian surveillance ship was spotted making a separate entry into the Philippine Sea on the same day that a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Dongdiao-class surveillance ship was operating around Japan’s main islands of Honshu and Hokkaido.

Russian Navy surveillance ship Kareliya (535) was sighted around 3 p.m. Friday sailing southwest 55 miles northeast of Tsushima, sailing through the Tsushima Strait between Okinawa and Miyako Strait to enter the Philippine Sea. Yahagi, Hirashima, destroyer escort Tone (DE-234) and a JMSDF P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) shadowed the Russian ship.

Hours later, around midnight on Saturday, PLAN Dongdiao-class surveillance ship Kaiyangxing (796) was observed sailing northeast 37 miles southwest of Cape Tappi on the main island of Honshu. The ship sailed east through the Tsugaru Strait, which separates the main islands of Honshu and Hokkaido, to enter the Pacific Ocean. Fast attack craft JS Kumataka (PG-827) and a JMSDF P-3C Orion MPA carried out surveillance on Kaiyangxing.

Japanese straits are international waterways allowing free passage. PLAN surveillance ships make frequent use of the straits while conducting operations in the vicinity of Japan. Such movements are monitored by JMSDF ships and aircraft.