Russia rebuffs Japan protest over WWII statue, ties stay frosty

Russia dismissed Japan's formal complaint about a new statue in Khabarovsk depicting a Soviet soldier destroying a Japanese imperial border marker, a symbol of Moscow's 1945 victory. The incident adds to a 'summer of tension' in bilateral relations, with analysts expecting continued chill. The statue's provocative imagery signals Russia's hardening stance toward Japan amid broader geopolitical friction.