According to intelligence officials cited by The New York Times, dozens of Russian intelligence officers expelled from Western capitals following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine have relocated to Japan. At the center of this activity is a GRU unit known as the 20th Directorate, reportedly operating out of Tokyo. These officers are alleged to have posed as businessmen, diplomats, and airline staff while sourcing high-tech dual-use components for Russian drones and missiles. One notable figure mentioned is Maksim Filchenkov, a GRU officer who reportedly worked under cover as an Aeroflot employee but fled Japan after a press investigation exposed his activities.
The primary target for these operations is technology. Ukraine’s sanctions commissioner states that Japanese components have been found in approximately 90 percent of the Russian missiles and drones recovered from the battlefield. Many of these components were originally sold for civilian use and rerouted to Russia through third countries such as Vietnam. As one of the world’s largest exporters of dual-use electronics, Japan has historically had weak counter-espionage laws, making it a vulnerable target. In response, Tokyo is strengthening its defenses by establishing a National Intelligence Council and enacting an anti-spy law set to take effect in 2026.
Source: The Telegraph, The Guardian, The New York Times
So What
Japan likely received assistance from Western intelligence services in this matter. Tokyo was probably selected for a specific reason, it lacks a dedicated foreign intelligence service and has historically weak espionage laws, allowing the operation to proceed with minimal risk of exposure. The scale of this effort also reflects Russia’s situation. The need to go to such lengths for dual-use components likely indicates how severely sanctions are impacting its military capabilities. Furthermore, Tokyo is probably not the only hub; similar procurement networks are likely functioning in other permissive states at this time.
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