Western intelligence officials report intense activity by Russian spies in Japan

In May 2026, a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile destroyed an apartment building in Kyiv. Subsequently, however, when Ukrainian investigators examined the wreckage, they discovered that the missile was guided by… Japanese components, the export of which to Russia has been largely banned. How is this possible, given that Japan has condemned the Russian attack and is supporting Ukraine?

Russia is reportedly in dire need of high-tech components, as the conflict in Ukraine has shifted from something resembling World War I-style artillery battles to a drone war, in which the Ukrainians have demonstrated great skill.

Thus, in its effort to bolster its conventional military power with new technology, Russia had to turn to a high-tech source. China could help, but for the most advanced weapons systems, there was no substitute for high-tech equipment, machine tools, and other components that many Western and Japanese companies had stopped selling to Russia due to sanctions.

Thus, according to a revealing report in The New York Times, based on officials from five Western intelligence agencies, dozens of Russian spies who had been expelled from Western countries are said to have ended up in Japan.

But why?

The country’s weak espionage laws and its advanced high-tech industry have made it a critical link in Russia’s war effort. According to estimates by the Ukrainian government, 90% of Russian missiles and drones contain Japanese components.

This delicate mission was masterfully carried out by the 20th Directorate, the notorious secret unit of the Russian military intelligence service. Posing as diplomats or businesspeople, its officers work to purchase or steal battlefield technology and smuggle it into Russia.

Japan has long been considered a haven for spies, partly because of restrictions imposed after World War II that have kept the country’s intelligence services weak. Japan does not even have a foreign intelligence service. Officials say they recognize the threat of espionage and are working to lift decades-old restrictions on intelligence gathering.

The 20th Directorate

The head of the operation is reportedly Maxim Vladimirovich Filchenkov, a veteran officer of the Russian military intelligence service, the G.R.U., who is listed as the director of Aeroflot’s Tokyo office. GRU spies have been using positions at Aeroflot as cover since the Soviet era, as they sought to obtain Western technology.

Having already served once in Japan, he possessed, according to intelligence officials, the necessary experience to locate the required equipment and transport it to Russia.

According to the American newspaper, Filchenkov began developing relationships with logistics companies that transport goods from Japan to Russia.

Western officials have warned Japan that such relationships help G.R.U. officers to acquire sensitive technology under false pretenses and send it to Russia, sometimes using forged shipping documents.

Although the unit’s history is unclear, officials said it predated the war in Ukraine. Since the start of the conflict, they added, it has been at the center of the Kremlin’s efforts to acquire military technology.

Through third countries

Shipping records cited by The New York Times show that Japan is the world’s largest exporter of sensitive dual-use technology that the Kremlin seeks to acquire. Smugglers do not need to transport this equipment directly to Russia; they simply need to send it to a country willing to resell it to Russia.

The largest destination for Japan’s sensitive technology is, for example, Vietnam, which in turn is the largest exporter of sensitive technology to Russia.

According to documents and interviews, Ukrainian officials have presented Japan with evidence that its technology is being used in Russian attacks. Foreign governments have repeatedly warned Japan that its technology is being smuggled into Russia.

However, as reported by The New York Times, the Japanese government, despite its public support for Ukraine, has been slow to act.

Although they have not taken action against Filchenkov, the Japanese authorities have been anything but indifferent to the situation in Ukraine. On the day Mr. Putin launched the invasion, Japan joined the U.S. and the EU in imposing sanctions. Later, it abandoned its postwar policy and began sending military aid to Ukraine, such as bulletproof vests and helmets.

The article notes that under Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the country has launched an ambitious program to strengthen the capabilities of its intelligence services, in part to more effectively prevent illegal exports and counter spies.

Source: in.gr