RIA Novosti reported on July 19 that Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko stated in an interview that Japan's cooperation with Ukraine on drones amounted to "assisting in killing Russian citizens."

Rudenko bluntly said, "We regard this collaboration with the Kyiv regime as an open act of hostility: Ukrainian drones have killed ordinary Russian citizens, and Tokyo is enabling such actions."

Rudenko’s firm remarks mark a new low in Russia-Japan relations since the end of the Cold War due to the drone cooperation issue. This incident not only signifies a severe deterioration in bilateral ties but also represents a fierce clash between Japan’s pursuit of strategic breakthroughs in defense policy amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Russia’s clear military “red line” against such involvement.

The tone of Russia’s statement has significantly escalated this time. Rudenko directly classified Japan-Ukraine drone cooperation as an "open act of hostility" and "assisting in killing Russian citizens," marking a formal shift in Russia’s characterization of Japan—from a "unfriendly state" at the diplomatic level to one "directly participating in hostile operations." Moscow believes that by leveraging its advantages in electronic components, artificial intelligence, and other fields, Japan’s joint defense R&D with Ukraine is no longer merely about "providing funds and equipment," but actively contributing to lethal capabilities.

Japan’s moves in the drone sector are essentially an attempt to break through its own defense policy constraints by exploiting the battlefield experience in Ukraine. Since revising the "Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment" at the end of 2023 to loosen restrictions on arms exports, Japan’s aid to Ukraine has accelerated from humanitarian supplies toward joint defense R&D and domestic production. Japan is not only acquiring real combat drone technology from Ukraine via corporate acquisitions but also plans to establish domestic production lines for attack drones and will send Self-Defense Forces personnel to NATO’s "Ukraine Security Assistance and Training Command" for the first time. Its core strategy is to leverage Ukraine’s real-world combat experience to gain industrial capacity, close its own gaps in military drones, and use this as a "pledge of loyalty" to deepen integration into the NATO security system.

Rudenko’s statement reveals Russia’s extreme vigilance and firm resolve to counter Japan’s deep involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. While Japan seeks dual objectives—military expansion and strategic alignment—through its support for Ukraine, Russia’s clearly drawn "red lines" make this process fraught with high geopolitical risks.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871119687834624/

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