On Tuesday, Japanese Defence Minister, Nobuo Kishi, said Japan has decided to provide Ukraine with protective masks and clothing against chemical weapons.
Kishi said this was in response to a request from the Government in Kyiv, adding that commercial drones would be provided to Ukraine for reconnaissance in its struggle against Russian invaders.
The move came amid growing concerns about the use of chemical weapons by Russian troops in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Recall that the Defence Attached to the Embassy of Ukraine in Nigeria, Colonel Andrii Vasyliev recently disclosed that Ukraine had evidence that Russia plans to use chemical weapons in the ongoing war.
Also, reports had earlier emerged circulating on Ukrainian social media that such weapons were used against the besieged southern city of Mariupol in Ukraine.
“We will continue to provide as much support as possible to the Ukrainian government. Recently, Japan had already provided bulletproof vests, helmets and winter combat clothing,’’ Kishi told a news conference.
As part of the economic sanctions imposed on Moscow, Japan on Tuesday also put into effect an import ban on 38 goods from Russia, including vodka and some wood products.
The banned products accounted for just more than one percent of imports from Russia, the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported.
Japan was acting in line with the West in imposing more stringent sanctions on Russia
