Since South Korea’s decision to deploy the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system was officially announced at the start of July, there has been no decline in attention to a decision that might have become a politically strategic game-changer in Northeast Asia.

Most of the attention has so far initially focused principally on China’s reactions, resulting in unexpectedly severe and wide-ranging measures that could strain current Chinese–ROK economic and security cooperation. Consequently, Russia’s objections were seen as less important, simply mirroring China’s opposition in a demonstration of unity against U.S. inroads into the region. But Russia now has its own