The Telegraph: China Is Secretly Arming Russia
- 3.09.2025, 13:50
This raises new questions about international sanctions.
China is playing a key role in supplying Russia with drones for its war on Ukraine. This raises new questions about international sanctions.
This is reported by The Telegraph.
Russia is terrorizing Ukraine with kamikaze drones day and night
As the publication notes, Russia is using hundreds of kamikaze drones to overwhelm Ukraine's air defense system and strike military and civilian targets. The number of such attacks has increased significantly this summer.
A few days ago, Moscow launched about 600 drones in a single night - the second largest aerial attack since the February 2022 invasion.
There are no signs yet that the attacks will diminish. Ukrainian intelligence reports that Russia plans to build two million FPV drones by the end of the year, as well as 30,000 long-range and 30,000 imitation drones each.
While Putin is attending a military parade with Si Jinping in China, it has emerged that it is Beijing that is providing Moscow with components for combat drones.
China supplies parts for Russian combat drones
According to The Telegraph, Chinese companies have supplied Russian firms under sanctions with parts and materials worth at least 55 million euros between 2023 and 2024. About a quarter of that amount - 12.5 million euros - went to companies producing Iranian Shahed drones at the special economic zone in Alabuga.
The goods exported from China include aircraft engines, microchips, metal alloys, camera lenses, fiberglass, fiberglass binders and carbon filaments - all necessary components for drone production. Ninety-seven Chinese suppliers were identified.
China officially declares neutrality, but the supply of components suggests close military cooperation with Russia. Ukrainian military finds Chinese parts on downed Russian drones. One Ukrainian pilot noted, "We keep getting boards and chips that are clearly from China, with Chinese inscriptions."
China's support and economic interests
China avoids direct involvement in the war so as not to risk its strategic interests. Instead, Beijing supports Moscow through exports of dual-use goods and a record bilateral trade turnover of 240 billion euros in 2024.
According to experts, stable relations with Russia are vital for China's economy, given the 4,100-kilometer-long common border.
China's stance allows it to blame the West for escalating the conflict, saying Beijing is not providing Russia with military support. Analysts say it is a kind of cover and an opportunity to deny direct involvement.
Drone production and China's role
In early July, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned Europeans that China could not allow Russia to lose the war as it would allow the US to focus on China. The next day, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga showed on social media Chinese-labeled parts removed from a Russian Geran-2 drone.
Chinese companies supply a wide range of materials - from fiberglass and carbon fiber to engines and aircraft components - to Russian factories in Alabuga, which produce the Geran, Garpiya and Gerbera drones based on Iranian blueprints. In the first half of 2024, production of Garpiya drones exceeded 2,000 units, more than the annual volume of previous years.
War and further cooperation
Drones allow Russia to overcome Ukrainian air defenses and strike critical infrastructure, increasing psychological pressure on the population. Analysts believe that the real volume of Chinese shipments to Russia is higher than official data, and Beijing has repeatedly tried to circumvent sanctions by disguising shipments.
Experts note that components and spare parts enter Russia through third countries despite the bans. The flow of these parts is not sufficiently stemmed.
Since the war began, China has continued to avoid condemning Russia. Before the invasion, Putin was hosted in Beijing for the Olympics. In March 2022, China abstained from voting on a UN resolution condemning aggression. In 2024, Beijing allegedly allowed Russia to set up production of long-range drones on its territory.