NYT reveals how Russia gets Japanese technology into its weapons: a secret GRU unit, an Aeroflot cover job, and a cargo route through Sri Lanka

Russian weapons systems increasingly contain Japanese-made components, despite manufacturers' claims they don't knowingly export sensitive technology to Moscow. Per Meduza's report on a New York Times investigation, a specialized GRU unit called the twentieth directorate orchestrates the acquisition—with a career intelligence officer named Maksim Filchenkov running operations undercover as an Aeroflot employee in Tokyo. The network uses middlemen to move parts through third countries, including Sri Lanka, circumventing export controls to get the technology into Moscow's hands.

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