ニュース 2026年10月08日午前09時00分 2026年10月8日
Russia's Ministry of Defence claimed it struck a factory belonging to JT International (JTI), an overseas subsidiary of Japan Tobacco Industry (JT), in Ukraine's central Poltava region, alleging the plant was producing ammunition for the Ukrainian military. JTI flatly denied any involvement in military production and confirmed all employees are safe. Separately, Moscow residents gathered to mourn the 20th anniversary of the assassination of journalist Anna Politkovskaya (アンナ・ポリトコフスカヤ), a prominent critic of the Putin government.
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What this episode answers
Why did Russia's Ministry of Defence claim it targeted the JT International factory?
Russia's Ministry of Defence stated on social media that the JTI factory in Poltava was manufacturing ammunition for the Ukrainian military, and announced the strike as part of a large-scale missile and drone attack targeting defence-related companies and transport infrastructure across Ukraine.
How did JT International respond to Russia's allegations?
JTI's Ukraine office told NHK that the company manufactures and sells tobacco products and has never been involved in any military-related production. It added that the factory had already suspended operations before this attack, having been struck several times previously, and that all employees were safe.
Who was Anna Politkovskaya, and how was she killed?
Politkovskaya was a reporter for the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta (ノーバヤ・ガゼータ) who vigorously exposed human rights abuses by Russian forces during the Chechen conflict and was a fierce critic of the Putin government; she was shot and killed in the elevator of her Moscow apartment in October 2006.
What scenes were observed at the site of her killing on the 20th anniversary?
A photograph of Politkovskaya was displayed at the Moscow apartment building where she was killed, and mourners laid flowers at the scene. An acquaintance said she had worked to help people caught in war, while a 22-year-old man called her brave and said she never feared speaking the truth.
What were the movements in Tokyo's foreign exchange and stock markets on October 8?
The dollar traded at ¥157.93–¥157.96 and the euro at ¥176.93–¥176.94 in the Tokyo foreign exchange market. The Nikkei Stock Average fell 396.57 yen from the previous day to 39,639.14, while the TOPIX dropped 37.33 points to 4,116.78.
Russia Strikes JT International Factory in Ukraine
Russia's Ministry of Defence announced on social media that it had carried out a large-scale attack using missiles and drones against defence-related companies and transport infrastructure across Ukraine. As part of that operation, the ministry claimed it struck a factory owned by JT International — an overseas subsidiary of Japan Tobacco Industry (JT) — located in Poltava Oblast in central Ukraine, alleging the plant was manufacturing ammunition for the Ukrainian military.
JT International Denies All Military Involvement
JT International's Ukraine office pushed back strongly in comments to NHK. "Our company manufactures and sells tobacco products and has never once been involved in military-related production," a representative said. The office also explained that the factory had already halted operations before the latest strike, having come under attack on multiple previous occasions. On the safety of its staff, the company said: "We cannot provide details for security reasons, but all employees are safe."
Japan's embassy in Ukraine also said it had received no information indicating that any Japanese nationals were caught up in the attack.
20 Years Since the Killing of Politkovskaya
October 7 marked the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Anna Politkovskaya (アンナ・ポリトコフスカヤ), a journalist who relentlessly challenged the Putin government. Politkovskaya worked for Novaya Gazeta (ノーバヤ・ガゼータ), an independent Russian newspaper critical of the Kremlin, and made her name exposing human rights abuses by Russian forces during the conflict over Chechen independence. In October 2006, she was shot and killed in the elevator of her Moscow apartment building. Because a series of killings of government critics followed her death, the case has come to be seen as a defining symbol of political repression in Russia.
Mourners Lay Flowers at the Scene
On the 20th anniversary, a photograph of Politkovskaya was displayed at the apartment building where she was killed, and people came to lay flowers in her memory. A man who said he had known her personally reflected: "She worked to save people caught up in war. What worries me now is that people are still losing their lives in war today." A 22-year-old man added: "She was brave and never feared speaking the truth. I am certain that a part of her lives on in each and every one of us."
Dmitri Muratov (ドミトリー・ムラートフ), a colleague of Politkovskaya's who served for many years as editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021.
Foreign Exchange and Stock Markets
In the Tokyo foreign exchange market, the dollar traded at ¥157.93–¥157.96 and the euro at ¥176.93–¥176.94. On the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the Nikkei Stock Average closed at 39,639.14, down 396.57 yen from the previous day, while the Tokyo Stock Price Index (TOPIX) fell 37.33 points to 4,116.78.
Takeaways
- Russia struck a JT International factory in Poltava, claiming it was making ammunition for Ukrainian forces — an allegation JTI flatly denied, saying all employees are safe.
- The 20th anniversary of the assassination of journalist Anna Politkovskaya, a symbol of anti-Kremlin press freedom, was marked by a memorial gathering at the site of her killing in Moscow.
- Tokyo's Nikkei Stock Average dropped 396.57 yen to 39,639.14, with the dollar around ¥157.94 and the euro around ¥176.93.
This article is edited from a machine transcript of the first 30 minutes of the episode. It is not an official summary — please listen to the episode itself.