Russia has expressed anger over Japan's move to help Ukraine and South Korea's economic sanctions against Moscow. Japan's decision to provide air defense systems to Ukraine had drawn a stern warning from Russia.

According to Reuters, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that this move will have "grave consequences" for Russia-Japan ties.

The already intricate ties between Russia and Japan have further deteriorated after Russia deployed tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine in February 2022.

Even before the Ukraine war, Moscow and Tokyo faced a territorial dispute involving a chain of Pacific islands known by the Japanese as the Northern Territories and by Russians as the Southern Kuriles.

Tokyo had complained about increased Russian military deployments on the islands, which Moscow allegedly seized from Japan at the end of World War 2.

Japan has joined its Western allies in implementing sweeping economic sanctions on Moscow, as did South Korea, which also faced the anger of Moscow owing to a new move.

(Photo : ALEXEY NIKOLSKY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Indian foreign minister in Moscow on December 27, 2023.

Besides Japan, Russia Also Warns South Korea 

According to Reuters, Russia has also warned South Korea about its decision to expand the list of goods that require special permission to be exported to Russia. 

The move by Seoul includes adding over 600 types of goods that could be used for military purposes to its export control list for Russia, which include heavy construction equipment, aeronautical components, and rechargeable batteries.

Zakharova, commenting on South Korea's decision, said it was an unfriendly move influenced by Washington and would damage South Korea's own economy and industry.

"We reserve the right to take measures in response, and not necessarily symmetrical ones. They (the South Koreans) should not be surprised (if and when we do)," she added.

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US Announces $250 Million in Military Aid to Ukraine

The Biden administration announced a $250 million military assistance package for Ukraine on Wednesday. A State Department spokesperson told CBS News that the aid package, which will include arms and equipment, will be the final for this year. 

With the announcement of additional arms and equipment, which will include air defense and anti-armor munitions, as well as ammunitions for small arms and high mobility artillery rocket systems, the spokesperson said the US has continued to show its "enduring commitment to Ukraine's defense" against Russia's aggression "to help Ukraine defend its territory and protect its people."

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