Japan Maintains Its Involvement in Oil and Gas Projects in Russia

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in an interview with TASS that Japan continues to emphasize the importance of energy cooperation with Russia and maintains its presence in oil and gas projects on Russian territory. Zakharova said that Tokyo continues to recognize and reiterate the importance of its relations and energy cooperation with Moscow, particularly in the area of Russian natural gas, as part of efforts to ensure Japan’s national energy security.She said that Japan, while being one of the United States’ closest allies, continues to maintain its presence in oil and gas projects in Russia. Zakharova questioned why the United States continues to reprimand or pressure China and India over their cooperation with Russia, while many countries are observing that Washington allows Japan to maintain energy cooperation with Russia. “In fact, I believe everyone should draw the appropriate conclusions, and I am confident that they will,” she said.

On the other hand, Russian forces targeted three logistics centers in Odesa that were storing supplies for the Ukrainian military. Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported the attacks. According to the ministry, the Palma, Robin-Ukraine, and Odesa-22 logistics centers in the city of Odesa were targeted, and the facilities contained supplies intended for the Ukrainian military.  The ministry also said that Russian forces targeted a drone production facility and a Ukrainian missile depot in Odesa. According to the statement, a facility manufacturing unmanned aerial vehicles and their components, as well as a depot storing missiles, artillery weapons, and ammunition for the Ukrainian military, was targeted in the city. According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, Russian forces also continued attacks on railway infrastructure in western Ukraine that is used to transport military supplies from Europe. The ministry said that Russian forces targeted temporary positions of Ukrainian troops in the Zaporizhzhia region and also released footage of the operation. According to the ministry, Russian forces targeted logistics centers and drone production facilities in the Odesa region. Russia’s Ministry of Defense also said that Russian forces targeted a dry-cargo vessel at the Port of Odesa during the day. The vessel was reportedly carrying supplies for the Ukrainian military. Similarly, Russian forces targeted two electrical substations in the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions that supplied electricity to port and logistics infrastructure.