Moscow and Beijing have been steadily ramping up what he described as a „quasi-alliance,“ said Artyom Lukin, an international relations scholar at Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. He described the incident as one designed to showcase their shared power, „sending a message to Tokyo, Seoul and Washington.“

„Frankly speaking, I was surprised when I read this news,“ Lukin said. „I didn’t expect this action would be so bold and provocative.“