"The 5.5 magnitude earthquake took place at 13:13 local time [05:13 GMT] ... at a depth of 162 kilometres [over 100 miles]," Semenova said.
The epicentre was located 115 kilometres east of the village of Reidovo on the island of Iturup.
There is no information about any victims or damage caused by the earthquake. No tsunami alert has been declared.
The Kuril Islands are located in a seismically active zone known as the Ring of Fire, which is regularly affected by powerful earthquakes. On November 5, 1952, the 9.0 magnitude earthquake triggered a huge tsunami that devastated the town of Severo-Kurilsk, leaving more than 2,300 people killed.