Japan used this as an excuse to have it residents live in Sakhalin island, where they remained till 1925.
Sakhalin Island was a notorious penal colony in the 19th century.
Going fled to Sakhalin Island and worked in the petroleum industry.
Russia's deposits are located in the far east of the country on Sakhalin Island.
Built 1950-53, it was planned to extend this to a tunnel to Sakhalin Island.
Kholmsk is an important sea port for the Sakhalin Island.
The gray whales stay close to Sakhalin Island, near massive new energy developments.
Floating debris found off Sakhalin Island in the first few days after the disaster(s) was clearly military.
It is an abandoned military airfield in the remote central area of Sakhalin Island.
Japan had also gained half of Sakhalin Island from Russia.