MOSCOW. Dec 27 (Interfax) - Ukraine's acquisition of Japanese munitions for Patriot air defense missile systems will have the most serious consequences for Moscow-Tokyo relations and will be viewed as hostile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
"Please be advised that, if Japanese missiles fall into the hands of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, such actions will be viewed as unambiguously hostile towards Russia and will have the most serious consequences for Japan in terms of bilateral relations," Zakharova said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
She was asked to comment on the Japanese government's decision to liberalize military products, including the possible delivery of Japanese supplies of Patriot missiles to the United States.
Japan has thus "reaffirmed the course towards gradually dismantling the pacifist provisions of its post war constitution," Zakharova said.
"Obviously, this decision primarily serves the interests of Tokyo's American ally. In this case, the Japanese side not just oversteps its own principles but also, to a large extent, loses control of weapons, which Washington will now be able to use at its own volition," she said.
"The established scheme by which ammunition ends up in Ukraine may be used in the transfer of Patriot munitions," Zakharova said.