Russia-Ukraine war: The story behind viral photo of Ukrainian ambassador with samurai sword

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Ambassador of Ukraine to Japan Dr. Sergiy Korsunsky was photographed in traditional samurai armor during the run-up to the ongoing Russian invasion of his home country.

Following his photo shoot, social media went wild with speculation, rumors and misinformation about the images. Fox News Digital reached out to the Ukrainian embassy to hear the story from the ambassador's office itself.

The most widely shared (but false) claim about the photo is that Korsunsky serves as the Japanese ambassador to the Ukraine. Some social media users speculated that "his great-grandfather's samurai sword and traditional armor was delivered to him from Tokyo, Japan. In a FB post, he declared that the samurai must protect the country in which he is!"

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The ambassador and his staff are aware of the photo. They even tried setting the record straight multiple times, but eventually the misinformation proved overwhelming and they gave up, officials told Fox News Digital. 

"We know about this fake, but we lost patience explaining who is who," Korsunsky told Fox News in an exclusive interview.

However, the reality of the ambassador's gesture is as compelling as the fictions spun around his picture.

"This armor was provided by samurai artist Tetsuro Shimaguchi. He is a friend of Ukraine and friend of [mine]," he continued. "It was a cultural project to put on full, real armor to feel how Japanese warriors were feeling themselves in a battle."

The samurai photo shoot was not originally meant to be a rallying cry for support in the Ukraine. However, he said, "When Russia began threatening Ukraine, [I] decided to make an appeal to Japanese people who remember what the bushido spirit is. It was a simple message very well received by Japan."

Under the country's current constitution, Japan is not allowed to possess a standing military. Japanese soldiers are limited to a small but competent "Self-Defense Force" that is dedicated to protecting the island from foreign powers.

"There are people who are real warriors by nature," Korsunsky said. "We do not think that samurai spirit is dead in Japan, it is a part of the historical heritage. Shimaguchi-sencei is part of the efforts to renew those traditions."

The constitution of Japan was drafted in English and then translated into Japanese by a team of U.S. legal experts after the close of World War II. The Allied forces were the authors of Article 9 – the clause that prevents Japan from raising a proper military or declaring war.

The Japanese public is divided on the issue – the island has been a pacifist nation since the end of their empire, and some prefer to keep it that way. Members of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, however, have been vocal supporters of removing the ban on military and rearming the country.

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Korsunsky refused to offer his opinion of the Japanese military question, saying Ukraine has no business telling Japan what to do.

"We are not in a position to advise the Government of Japan. Japan is a soft superpower, very respected and loved in the region and in Ukraine," Korsunsky told Fox News. "Japan has its own challenges with Russia (Northern Territories) and China (Senkaku islands)."

Korsunsky offered a simple statement to the world on the unfolding invasion of his home country, thanking the Japanese and urging other nations to push back against Russia.

"This is a brutal invasion," he said, "unprovoked and cynical and the world should condemn Russia and Putin. Japan supports Ukraine and we are very grateful for that. "