Russia Irked by Japan Firm's Investment in Ukrainian Company

Tokyo, April 8 (Jiji Press)--Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko on Wednesday lodged a protest with Japan over a Japanese firm's investment in a Ukrainian defense-related company that handles interceptor drones.

The protest came during a meeting between Rudenko, who is in charge of Asian affairs, and Japanese Ambassador to Russia Akira Muto at the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow. Muto made a rebuttal against the Russian protest.

At a press conference the same day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the ambassador was "summoned" to the ministry.

Meanwhile, the Japanese Embassy in Moscow said that the two sides exchanged views mainly on Japan-Russia relations, including political dialogue as well as cultural and personnel interchanges, pointing out that the dialogue was held at the initiative of the Japanese side.

On March 31, Tokyo-based Terra Drone Corp. said that it has invested in Ukraine's Amazing Drones LLC, which develops and makes interceptor drones.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]