China’s Support of Russia‘s Drone Production Fuels Ukraine Conflict
Recent investigations by Sayari reveal a notable flow of crucial components from China to russia, bolstering Moscow’s drone production capabilities and impacting the conflict in Ukraine. While publicly maintaining a neutral stance on the invasion, China’s actions suggest a close military cooperation with Russia.
The exported goods identified by The Telegraph include aviation engines, microchips, metal alloys, chambers, fiberglass lenses, and connecting fiberglass and carbon threads – all essential for manufacturing the drones regularly used in attacks across Ukraine. The investigation pinpointed 97 Chinese suppliers involved in these exports.
Ukrainian forces consistently recover downed Russian equipment containing Chinese components, confirming the practical impact of this supply chain.Analysts suggest a direct military intervention, like that of North Korea, would be too strategically risky for China. Instead, beijing appears to be supporting Moscow indirectly by allowing Chinese firms to export “dual-use” goods, contributing to a record €246 billion in bilateral trade in 2024.
Andrea Giselli, a lecturer in Chinese foreign policy at the University of Exeter, highlights the strategic importance of the relationship, stating, “One has a very importent interest in the survival of the other; this will not change. This is a simple geographical reality,” referencing the 4,200 km shared border. This approach also allows Beijing to deflect blame for the war onto the West, accusing them of escalating the conflict through arms supplies to Ukraine.
Specific Examples of Support:
Ningbo Peak Cloud Import and Export delivered €3.5 million worth of aircraft and aircraft engines to Russia’s ural Civil Aviation Plant (under sanctions for drone production) in the first three months of 2023.
Five Russian firms – Ural Civil Aviation Plant, Akmetron, PT Electronic, PT Elektronik, and Radiline – are importing components from China and utilizing them in drone production despite being subject to global sanctions. These firms have seen a significant increase in production. Drone output rose to over 2,000 in the first half of 2024, compared to 2,500 for the entirety of 2023.
* Mile Hao Xiang technology, an engine manufacturer, supplied over €1.5 million worth of products to Russia in 2022-2023, both directly and through intermediaries, with Sequoia JSC and UNIKOM LLC as key importers.
The reported trade data likely represents a conservative estimate of the true volume of Chinese support, as neither country consistently discloses all deliveries.
While China ostensibly benefits from global stability and would prefer a resolution to the conflict, Giselli emphasizes that “strategic interests” will always take precedence. Beijing, he argues, cannot afford to ”abandon Putin.”
Related Findings:
UNIAN previously reported that China is secretly supplying Russian drone engines disguised as refrigeration equipment to circumvent Western sanctions. Furthermore, investigations have revealed the presence of Indian components – specifically electronic parts from Vishay Intertechnology and Aura Semiconductor – in Shahed drones used by Russia.
