The key facts

  • Zakharova: the delivery of Terra Drone Corporation drones to Ukraine is an 'openly hostile step'
  • The company's press release on the use of UAVs on the front line was published on October 14
  • Moscow promised a 'harsh response' and measures sensitive for Tokyo

Statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry

Russia views the delivery of a batch of drones to Ukraine by a Japanese company as an openly hostile step. This was stated by Maria Zakharova, official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry; her words were reported by Interfax. According to the diplomat, on October 14 the Japanese company Terra Drone Corporation published a press release announcing the delivery of a batch of UAVs to Ukraine and their use in combat conditions on the front line. 'We view this as an openly hostile step taken despite repeated warnings from the Russian side about the unacceptability of actions of this kind,' Zakharova emphasized.

Retaliatory measures and assessment of Tokyo's position

Zakharova noted that attempts by the Japanese authorities to explain Terra Drone Corporation's cooperation with the Armed Forces of Ukraine as purely a private initiative are 'absolutely unconvincing.' According to her, such attacks against Russia will not go unanswered and will be met with a harsh response and measures sensitive for Tokyo.

Background: the PURL program and company cooperation

In February it became known that the Japanese government had decided to join the NATO-created PURL (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List) program to support Ukraine, under which the country purchases weapons from the United States for subsequent transfer to Kyiv. According to Japanese media, the funds are directed exclusively toward the acquisition of non-lethal equipment and gear, in particular radar systems and bulletproof vests. In August, reports emerged about Terra Drone Corporation's cooperation with a Ukrainian UAV developer. Russia's Ambassador to Japan, Nikolai Nozdrev, said at the time that such a step indicates an expansion of support for Kyiv from Tokyo, and emphasized that, in his view, such projects cannot be regarded solely as the initiative of individual private companies.