Russia summons Japanese ambassador over drone deal with Ukraine

Russia on Wednesday summoned Japan’s ambassador to Moscow over an agreement signed between a Japanese company and a Ukrainian drone manufacturer.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Ambassador Akira Muto was handed a protest note.

He was informed that Ukrainian drone strikes in the country give Moscow “grounds to view such a move as openly hostile and detrimental to our country's security interests.”

The ambassador was told that Japan-Russia ties have “deteriorated to an unprecedented low” due to Tokyo’s “unfriendly policies.”

If Japan is truly interested in resuming interstate dialogue, “it must demonstrate this desire not just through rhetoric, but through concrete actions and practical steps,” the statement added.

Last month, the Tokyo-based Terra Drone Corporation announced entering into a deal with Amazing Drones LLC through one of its subsidiaries.