Russia says it will respond to Japan-US joint exercise, citing risk to Far East border
In short
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on 21 October that the Japan-US joint exercise Lijian 27 (利剑27) poses a security risk to Russia's Far East border area and that Russia will take response measures. She also called a Japanese company's delivery of drones to Ukraine a blatant hostile act and said Russia will respond firmly.
Read the full story 1 min read
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on 21 October that the Japan-US joint exercise Lijian 27 (利剑27) poses a security risk to Russia's Far East border area and that Russia will take response measures. Xinhua reported the remarks in a dispatch from Moscow by reporter Huang He (黄河). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Speaking at a regular press conference, Zakharova said the exercise has gone beyond the principle of exclusively defence-oriented posture and is part of Japan's "re-militarisation" policy. She said Russia has repeatedly expressed serious concern to Japan, and that Japan's conduct poses a security risk to Russia's Far East border area. [ 1 , 2 ]
Zakharova also commented on a Japanese company's delivery of drones to Ukraine. She called the move a blatant hostile action and said Russia will take tough response measures. [ 1 , 2 ]
She stressed that Russia has repeatedly warned Japan that such conduct is unacceptable and will have a negative effect on Russia-Japan relations. She said Japan's attempt to explain its companies' cooperation with Ukrainian forces as "private conduct" is "completely unconvincing". [ 1 , 2 ]
Zakharova repeated that weapons posing a threat to Russia's national security, and facilities in Ukraine that produce such weapons, are legitimate targets for Russia's armed forces. [ 1 , 2 ]
Yicai published the Xinhua text under the same headline at 22:07 on 21 October, and Xinhua's own report followed at 22:15. Jiemian posted a one-sentence summary credited to Xinhua at 10:52 on 22 October. The documents do not describe the planned Russian response measures or give a Japanese reaction. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The statement, as reported by Xinhua and relayed by Chinese business outlets, points to worsening Russia-Japan relations. Zakharova said such conduct will hurt ties, but the documents do not say what the response measures will be.
Key facts
- Zakharova said the Japan-US joint exercise Lijian 27 poses a security risk to Russia's Far East border area and that Russia will take response measures. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- She said the exercise has gone beyond the principle of exclusively defence-oriented posture and is part of Japan's "re-militarisation" policy. [ 1 , 2 ]
- She said Russia has repeatedly expressed serious concern to Japan. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Commenting on a Japanese company's delivery of drones to Ukraine, she called it a blatant hostile act and said Russia will take tough response measures. [ 1 , 2 ]
- She said Japan's attempt to describe its companies' cooperation with Ukrainian forces as "private conduct" is "completely unconvincing". [ 1 , 2 ]
- She repeated that weapons posing a threat to Russia's national security, and facilities in Ukraine that produce them, are legitimate targets for Russia's armed forces. [ 1 , 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Zakharova said on 21 October that the Japan-US exercise Lijian 27 poses a security risk to Russia's Far East border area and that Russia will take response measures. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Zakharova called the drone delivery to Ukraine by a Japanese company a blatant hostile act and said Russia will take tough response measures. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- What response measures Russia will take. The documents report only that Russia will take response measures and give no detail.
- Japan's position on the exercise and on the drone delivery. The documents quote only Zakharova; the only Japanese position mentioned is her description of Japan's "private conduct" explanation.
- Which Japanese company delivered drones to Ukraine and what was delivered. The documents name no company and give no details of the delivery.