Russia says sending Japanese Patriot missiles to Kiev will be a “hostile act” – Observer

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Russia will consider it a “hostile act” if the Patriot missiles that Tokyo said it plans to send to the United States are ultimately supplied to Ukraine, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry warned this Wednesday.

“We would like to warn that if Japanese missiles reach the hands of the Ukrainian army, this will be considered a hostile act that will have serious consequences for Japan in the context of bilateral relations,” said Maria Zakharova, during her weekly press conference.

Furthermore, Japanese arms exports to the United States will also “have palpable negative consequences for global and regional security”he added.

“It is clear that this decision mainly serves the interests of Tokyo’s American ally. In this case, Japan not only ignores its own principles, but largely loses control over a weapon that, from now on, will be used by Washington literally any way it wants“, argued the Russian spokeswoman.

According to Maria Zakharova, “military supplies to the Kiev regime, both direct and indirect, only prolong its agony and the increase in innocent victims and crimes of the Kiev regime, a responsibility that will now also fall on the Japanese authorities”.

Japan announced on Tuesday its intention to export surface-to-air missile interception systems to the United States, after Washington submitted this request, citing shortages due to military aid provided to Ukraine.

Japan will export Patriot missile systems to the United States

To comply with the request, Tokyo relaxed Japanese export rules in this area, maintaining the prohibition on sending weapons to countries at war, but authorizing their shipment to countries that already have the patent, as is the case with the Patriot.

Transfer to a third country will require authorization from Tokyo.

The Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory, launched on February 24 last year, plunged Europe into what is considered the most serious security crisis since the Second World War (1939-1945).