Japan admits growing need to counter espionage after Russian ‘den of spies’ report
Issue must be addressed with ‘even greater rigour’, says government spokesman, after New York Times report on how it has become a spy hub for Vladimir PutinJapan has said it recognised the need to counter foreign intelligence better after the New York Times reported that Russia had turned the country into a “den of spies” and key source of weapons components.The newspaper, in an investigation published on Sunday, reported that thanks to “weak espionage laws”, Moscow was using Japan as a key hub for intelligence gathering and procurement of dual-use technology needed for its war in Ukraine. Continue reading...
Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy seeks 300 Patriots to get through winter
Kyiv to anchor European alternative missile defence system called Freyja; more sanctions against Russian state hacking outfits. What we know on day 1,602 Volodymyr Zelenskyy has welcomed an agreement with allies for a European-backed anti-ballistic missile shield as an alternative to the US Patriot system – but the Ukrainian president stressed that Kyiv still needs the American interceptors for now and the coming winter. Zelenskyy said the Freyja defence project, originated in Ukraine, would be developed over the coming 12 months.“One of the main ways to strengthen our collective position should be a winter package of air defence missiles,” Zelenskyy posted. “We have calculated that this package should include 100 Patriot missiles per month, 300 missiles for the winter.” Donald Trump has promised Ukraine a licence to build Patriot missiles, but although Kyiv has stunned the world with its ability to innovate and muster homegrown weapons production, the interceptors’ extreme complexity and US subcontractors’ slow output of critical parts means production is likely some time away.As Angelique Chrisafis writes, Ukraine and nine other countries including the UK, Germany and France will build the shared missile protection programme for Europe using Kyiv’s experience in fighting Russia’s full-scale invasion for more than four years. Leaders on Monday met Zelenskyy for talks in Paris. The UK signed up to participate in the EU’s €90bn (£77bn) support loan for Ukraine, meaning UK firms will be able to provide more weapons paid for by the funds.Emmanuel Macron, the French president, announced a roadmap for Kyiv to get 16 Rafale fighter jets, the first of which are due to “take to the skies” by 2028-2029. Kyiv would also acquire an initial batch of new-generation SAMP/T missile defence units, Macron said at the Paris meeting, “which will complement the systems due to be delivered with their missiles in the coming weeks”. Macron also said on Monday that the multinational force for Ukraine, to be deployed in the event of a ceasefire, would hold exercises in neighbouring countries in the coming months. This would “validate our deployment plans and demonstrate that we are ready, determined and credible”, Macron said.Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, with missiles and drones early on Tuesday, triggering fires in widely separated districts of the city, senior officials said. Tymur Tkachenko, head of the capital’s military administration, said two storage areas were hit and set on fire in the Holosiivskyi district just outside the city centre. The mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said cars burned in an open area in an eastern suburb after drone strikes. In the south-eastern city of Zaporizhzhia, Russian drones struck residential and other areas, injuring 11 people, emergency services said.A drone attack in a town outside Kharkiv injured six people, said the regional governor, Oleh Syniehubov. The Russian-installed head of the part of Ukraine’s Donetsk region under Moscow’s control said on Monday that Ukrainian drone attacks had killed eight people, including a family of four. Reuters said it could not verify the report independently. Ukraine denies targeting civilians.The EU and Britain targeted Russia on Monday with coordinated sanctions over cyber-attacks in Europe, accusing Moscow’s FSB intelligence agency of involvement. Brussels said it was imposing sanctions on nine people and four entities, while London said it was adding 24 names to its blacklist. Among those subjected to asset freezes and visa bans were officers of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency, and alleged “cybercriminals” working together with the Russian state.The EU and Britain said a recent attempted cyber-attack targeting critical infrastructure in Poland, including the power grid, was the latest in a raft of such moves by the FSB’s Centre 16 spying hub. The French foreign ministry added that among the sanctioned targets was “a group that claimed destabilising actions against the Paris 2024 Olympics”. The EU said that “among others, France, Germany, Poland, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia, Romania and Finland have been targeted” in a campaign stretching back years. Continue reading...
