Russian Intelligence Turns to Japan for War-Machine Parts

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Western governments expelled hundreds of Russian intelligence officers and blacklisted firms linked to the Kremlin. According to officials from multiple Western intelligence agencies, many of those expelled operatives have resurfaced in Japan, where they operate under diplomatic or commercial cover to acquire battlefield technology for Russia’s war effort.

New York Times

The shift to Japan exploits the country’s comparatively weak espionage statutes and its robust high-tech manufacturing sector. Officials say the effort focuses on buying or stealing items such as microchips, transmitters and the machinery used to produce weapons, then smuggling them back to Russia for incorporation into missiles and drones.

New York Times

The operation is directed by the 20th Directorate, a secretive unit of Russian military intelligence whose mandate has never been publicly disclosed. The individual overseeing the Tokyo cell maintains a cover identity as an employee of Aeroflot, Russia’s state airline, according to current officials from four of the five Western intelligence agencies cited. These agencies, together with former officials, describe the network as a critical conduit for supplying Russia’s war machine.

New York Times

Ukrainian government estimates indicate that roughly 90 percent of Russian missiles and drones contain Japanese components. Dozens of the expelled Russian spies are reported to be active in Japan, seeking the parts needed to sustain Russia’s aerial capabilities.

New York Times

Western intelligence officials characterize the Tokyo operation as a “crucial piece of the Russian war effort,” emphasizing that the combination of lax legal oversight and advanced manufacturing makes Japan a strategic target for Moscow’s procurement activities. They warn that the flow of Japanese technology directly bolsters Russia’s capacity to continue its campaign in Ukraine.

New York Times