Amid simmering tensions with China, Russia, and North Korea, Ukraine has proposed arming Japan with sea drones that helped Kyiv cripple the Russian Black Sea Fleet (BSF).
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the Japanese news agency Kyodo News that Ukraine is prepared to collaborate with Japan in the defence industry, seek joint manufacturing, and share information and technologies. The parts of this interview were subsequently published on his Telegram channel.
“Japan is one of the countries that has licenses or its own production of missiles and air defense systems capable of countering ballistic threats. And of course, we want to cooperate, have joint production or exchange knowledge,” the Ukrainian President emphasised in the interview.
Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is ready to share its military technology with partner countries. “For example, naval drones to protect the coastline,” he stated.
It is pertinent to note here that Japan has refrained from transferring any military weapons to Ukraine due to its long-standing policy restrictions on exporting arms to countries involved in active conflicts. Instead, it has provided substantial assistance, totaling around $20 billion, covering humanitarian aid, budget support, reconstruction, and energy infrastructure, among other things.
Japan also participates in NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) for Ukraine, contributing to non-lethal aid.
In addition, Japan made its first-ever export of domestically produced Patriot PAC-3 missiles from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) inventory to the US in November 2025. The delivery was made after the US requested that the JASDF transfer some of these interceptors so it could continue assisting Ukraine without depleting its own stockpiles, as previously explained in detail by the EurAsian Times.
Japan is also set to join a NATO-led initiative, PURL (Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List), to fund purchases of US-made equipment for Ukraine, but only for non-lethal items such as vehicles, radar systems, and protective gear.
However, under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Tokyo is considering further easing restrictions on lethal arms exports to Kyiv.
Against that backdrop, Zelenskyy’s statements are seen as a move to deepen defence ties with Japan.
Air defence is “crucial” for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion, and Japan, as a producer of systems like Patriot missiles under US license, could potentially play a key role in the future. In fact, Ukraine is open to joint production and collaboration in areas such as air defence, ballistic missile countermeasures, naval and sea drones, cybersecurity, interceptor drones, and the management of critical infrastructure during crises, as per Zelenskyy.
Talking about his battlefield successes, Zelenskyy recalled that Ukraine destroyed a big part of Russia’s fleet in the Black Sea with its naval drones, despite not possessing a navy.
“They do not approach our shores because of the capabilities of our naval drones. There are also other things that could be useful for Japan: cybersecurity, interceptor drones, management of energy and critical infrastructure during crises, broader experience of modern warfare, and so on,” the Ukrainian leader stressed. “We can share what we have learned in this war,” the Ukrainian President added.
Notably, Japan has been actively developing and acquiring sea drones, primarily through the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) under the Ministry of Defense (MoD). In fact, it could benefit from Ukraine’s combat-proven sea drones in several ways.
For one, Japan’s vast exclusive economic zone, extensive coastlines, and strategic islands, including in the East China Sea and near Taiwan, face potential threats from large naval powers—particularly China.
Ukraine’s sea drones have proven effective at sea denial, preventing enemy vessels from operating near shores, using inexpensive, explosive-laden platforms.
Japan could adapt similar tactics or technologies to defend its waters, create “no-go” zones for adversaries, or counter amphibious threats without relying solely on crewed ships.
Ukrainian sea drones, such as the upgraded Sea Baby and Magura series, have proven highly effective in naval operations, achieving long-range kills (up to 1,500 km), carrying large payloads, and demonstrating tremendous resilience against Russian countermeasures like Electronic Warfare.
The disruptive sea drone technology could enhance Japan’s strategies for securing vital sea routes, defending coastlines, and providing allied support in a potential Indo-Pacific clash. Japan’s own USV efforts, such as the modular unmanned vessels being developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and others, could benefit from this.
Ukraine’s Sea Drone Warfare Against Russia
Despite lacking a traditional navy, Ukraine has turned low-cost, domestically developed unmanned boats into a game-changing weapon, forcing significant Russian naval retreats and inflicting major losses in the past three years.
These USVs can perform a variety of missions, including reconnaissance, surveillance, and—most importantly—offensive operations against Russian Navy warships.
Ukraine’s early naval breakthroughs came between 2023 and 2024, using sea drones. The Ukrainian forces managed to damage intelligence ships like Ivan Khurs and contributed to sinking or disabling high-value targets.
In February 2024, for instance, Ukraine’s Magura V5 sea drone became the first of its kind to sink enemy warships in combat, destroying the Tarantul-class corvette Ivanovets and a large Ropucha-class landing ship.
Russian ships have been severely damaged by the Sea Baby unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and the Magura class of sea drones. These USVs, which are significantly less expensive than conventional warships, enable Ukraine to conduct successful strikes without the perils and high costs of manned vessels or ship-launched missiles.
On December 31, 2024, the Ukrainian military accomplished a historic feat by downing a Russian military helicopter using a missile fired from a sea drone.
At the time, Ukraine’s Intelligence agency, the HUR, stated that during a battle in the Black Sea off the western coast of Crimea, the special unit Group 13 fired an R-73 “SeeDragon” missile from the Magura-V5 drone. The strike, which took place close to Cape Tarkhankut in Crimea, was hailed as a landmark event in modern combat involving an unmanned surface vessel.
Subsequently, Ukrainian forces claimed to have downed a Su-30 using surface-to-air missiles fired from its unmanned surface vessels.
In December 2025, Ukraine carried out a historic feat by carrying out the world’s first-ever underwater drone attack on a Project 636 Varshavyanka class, or Improved Kilo class diesel-electric submarine in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, using the “Sub Sea Baby” drone, as reported by the EurAsian Times at the time.
Some reports state that Kyiv’s forces sank or severely damaged around one-third of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet assets.
Countries around the world, including the United States, China, Taiwan, and Japan itself, have been keenly watching the asymmetrical destruction caused by the sea drones.
- Contact the author at sakshi.tiwari13 (at) outlook.com
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