Russian office in Taipei screens Soviet anti-Japan war film, raising Taiwan concerns

Sep 11, 2026

Russia's representative office in Taipei quietly showed a 1945 Soviet documentary about defeating Japan, and Taiwan reads it as an attempt to drive a wedge between Taipei and Tokyo.

  • The Moscow-Taipei Coordination Commission office hosted a closed-door screening for about 20 invited guests in a downtown Taipei meeting room.
  • The film shows Soviet attacks on Japanese-held Manchuria and the Kuril Islands and dwells on Japanese atrocities against Chinese civilians.
  • Taiwanese officials see it as Russia reinforcing China's message that Japan is turning militaristic again.
  • Taiwan's National Security Council says it is watching China-Russia military and information-warfare cooperation closely.
  • Russian envoys draw less immediate scrutiny under Taiwan's security rules than Chinese officials do, giving them more room to work.

Outlook: The Russian office says it wants to hold more events like this, so Taipei is likely to tighten how it monitors Russian outreach on the island.

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