Photo/Illutration Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, left, on Feb. 24 issues a protest to Mikhail Galuzin, right, Russia’s ambassador to Japan, over the invasion of Ukraine. (Yuichi Nobira)

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Feb. 24 summoned Russian Ambassador Mikhail Galuzin to the ministry to lodge an official protest against Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“Russia should immediately stop the invasion of Ukraine and withdraw its forces back to Russia,” Hayashi said.

He described the invasion as an infringement of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a clear violation of international law.

“Unilateral change of the status quo by force is absolutely unacceptable,” Hayashi told Galuzin at the start of their meeting.

The foreign minister also strongly called for protections of the safety of Japanese and other citizens in Ukraine.

The meeting was held soon after reports emerged of widespread Russian military strikes in Ukraine and Russian troops crossing the border.

Galuzin, however, disputed the label given to the Russian move.

“A Russian invasion of Ukraine is not happening,” the ambassador said.

Russia had earlier recognized the independence of the “Donetsk People’s Republic” and the “Luhansk People’s Republic,” names given by pro-Russian separatist groups, in eastern Ukraine.

Galuzin said Russia wants to “protect residents” in the two republics.

“Our action is not an invasion but a special military operation,” Galuzin told reporters after the meeting.

“The action aims to defend ourselves against the threat to Russia’s safety and is taken based on Article 51 of the U.N. Charter that ensures self-defense rights to nations.”

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