Russian border guards have shot at two Japanese fishing boats which had strayed into its waters off the disputed South Kuril islands.

Border guards in a helicopter fired warning shots and later directly at the boats, when they failed to stop. The Japanese ships then turned back. The Japanese fishermen returned safely but later found dozens of  bullet holes in the boats, Japanese media said.
 

The border guards say the ships were close to Kunashir island, the  southernmost in the chain, which is controlled by Russia but claimed by Japan. The four islands off northern Japan were seized in 1945 by Soviet  troops, who expelled Japanese residents. In 2006, a Japanese fisherman was killed by a stray bullet fired as a warning by Russian border guards.

(Image: Wikipedia)