TOKYO DENIES RUSSIAN SHIP WAS SPYING.

Authorities in Tokyo have denied an earlier Japanese television report that accused a Russian oil recovery vessel of spying on Japanese coastal defense facilities. An official of Japan’s maritime safety agency said on February 28 that such espionage activities would have been impossible, while Japan’s Defense Agency and its Foreign Ministry said they had no information on the alleged spying activities. (Itar-Tass, February 28) The Russian ship was one of three helping recover oil from a wrecked Russian tanker.

Russia to Sell New Helicopter Gunships to Slovakia.