Russia says it struck Japan Tobacco plant in Ukraine; JT denies military production
In short
Russia’s defence ministry said on 7 October that it struck a tobacco factory belonging to Japan Tobacco’s international unit JTI in Kremenchuk, central Ukraine, claiming it was used to make ammunition for the Ukrainian army. JT denies any involvement in military-related production. The plant in the area had already been hit twice in September, and Ukraine reported a separate Russian strike on an apartment block in Pryluky that killed 14 people, including four children.
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Russia’s defence ministry said on 7 October that it attacked a tobacco factory in Kremenchuk, in Ukraine’s central Poltava region, belonging to JT International (JTI), the unit that runs Japan Tobacco’s overseas tobacco business. The ministry said in a social media post that the plant was producing ammunition for the Ukrainian army, according to Asahi Shimbun, and Jiji Press reported that it made the claim unilaterally. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
JT denies the claim. The company’s public relations office told Asahi Shimbun that it has never been involved in the production of military-related products. Sankei Shimbun, citing Ukrainian media, said JTI’s Ukrainian unit stated in September that the company manufactures and sells tobacco products and has never taken part in military production. [ 1 , 3 ]
The JTI plant in the area had already been attacked twice in September, Sankei Shimbun and Jiji Press reported, and had stopped operating before those strikes. Sankei Shimbun said it was unclear whether the plant hit on 7 October was the same one. Jiji Press said details of the damage from the latest strike were not known. A JTI warehouse in Kyiv region was attacked in August, according to Sankei Shimbun. [ 1 , 2 ]
The factory strike came as Russia carried out large-scale attacks on Ukraine through the morning of 7 October, hitting energy-related facilities and private homes; Asahi Shimbun, citing AFP, reported that more than 20 people died. Ukraine’s emergency service said a Russian missile hit a five-storey apartment building in Pryluky, in the northern Chernihiv region, killing 14 people including four children and injuring 50, with the upper floors collapsing, Jiji Press reported. Fifteen people had been rescued from the rubble, it said. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The strike puts a Japanese company’s overseas assets directly inside the Russia-Ukraine war, and the dispute over what the plant produced is likely to remain unresolved because the site is in a war zone. It comes alongside a large-scale Russian attack on Ukrainian energy sites and housing that killed civilians, which the documents say drew deaths in at least one town.
Key facts
- Russia’s defence ministry said on 7 October that it attacked a JTI tobacco factory in Kremenchuk, Poltava region, central Ukraine. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The ministry claimed the plant was making small-arms ammunition for the Ukrainian army. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- JT denies any involvement in the production of military-related products. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The JTI plant in the area was attacked twice in September and had already halted operations before those strikes. [ 1 , 2 ]
- JTI’s Ukrainian unit said in September that the company makes and sells tobacco products and has never been involved in military production, according to Ukrainian media. [ 1 ]
- A JTI warehouse in Kyiv region was attacked in August, according to Sankei Shimbun. [ 1 ]
- Ukraine’s emergency service said a Russian missile hit a five-storey apartment building in Pryluky, Chernihiv region, killing 14 people including four children and injuring 50. [ 2 ]
- Asahi Shimbun, citing AFP, said more than 20 people died in Russia’s large-scale strikes on Ukraine through the morning of 7 October. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Russia’s defence ministry announced on 7 October that it struck a JTI tobacco factory in Kremenchuk, Poltava region. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The ministry claimed the factory was producing ammunition for the Ukrainian army; the documents show no evidence presented for the claim. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- JT denies any involvement in military-related production. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- JTI’s plant in the area had been attacked twice in September before the October strike. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the factory struck on 7 October is the same one that was attacked in September. Sankei Shimbun states the point is unknown; the other documents do not address it.
- The extent of damage to the JTI factory. Jiji Press says details of the damage are unknown; no outlet gives figures.
- The death toll from Russia’s wider strikes on 7 October. Asahi Shimbun cites AFP for more than 20 deaths across Ukraine, while Jiji Press, citing Ukraine’s emergency service, reports 14 deaths in Pryluky alone; the documents do not reconcile the two figures.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Sankei Shimbun reports that Russia’s defence ministry announced it attacked the JTI plant in Kremenchuk. [ 1 ]
- Jiji Press reports the strike and, citing Ukraine’s emergency service, 14 deaths including four children in Pryluky. [ 2 ]
- Asahi Shimbun reports that JT’s public relations office denied any involvement in military-related production. [ 3 ]