Takeshi Iwaya will meet his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, to reaffirm Japan’s “strong support” for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion and to discuss further sanctions against Moscow, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said.

Russian forces have captured the villages of Makarivka and Hryhorivka in Ukraine's Donetsk region, Russia's Defense Ministry said on Saturday. Makarivka is located to the south of Velyka Novosilka while Hryhorivka, which Moscow calls by its previous name of Leninskoye, is situated to the west of the town of Selydove, captured by Russia last month.

Further sanctions against Moscow will be discussed when Takeshi Iwaya meets his Ukrainian foreign ministry counterpart.

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya visited Ukraine to talk with the country's authorities. The arrival of Japan's first diplomat was not announced, according to Kyodo. The Japanese foreign minister arrived in Ukraine following a visit to Peru.

An estimated 10,000 North Koreans are fighting in Ukraine - and one expert has a stark warning for what will happen to them if they survive the brutal conflict