MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s foreign ministry said on Friday that it had summoned the Japanese ambassador over Tokyo’s decision to supply military equipment to Ukraine.
Japan – which has backed Western sanctions against its long-time antagonist in east Asia in response to Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine – last month promised Ukraine around 100 military-use vehicles “such as trucks”, having previously given protective equipment such as helmets and bullet-proof vests.
However, Moscow said Tokyo was supplying “armoured vehicles” as well as all-terrain vehicles.
“The Japanese side was told that this step would lead to an escalation of hostilities and a further increase in the number of human casualties of the Kyiv regime,” the ministry said in a statement.
Japan’s export rules ban its companies from selling lethal items overseas.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Nick Macfie)
