China is arguably the most important driver of the Kremlinʼs war machine. Beijing could provide the Russian army with lethal weapons, including artillery shells and military drones.
This is reported by The Economist.
Western officials told the publication that China has been supporting Russia in various ways since 2023, including by transferring key weapons components and civilian drones. This is confirmed by analysis of weapon fragments, open data on deliveries, as well as US sanctions against Chinese companies.
However, officials also point to “small shipments of artillery shells and military UAVs”. Until now, there has been little public indication of munitions shipments. In early 2023, Beijing considered sending Moscow a shipment of 122mm and 152mm shells, but there is no indication that these were significant quantities.
Later that year, Ukrainian military forces discovered Chinese-made mines near Melitopol. It is unclear whether these supplies came directly from China or via third countries where Chinese small arms and ammunition are common.
In practice, Chinese weapons are not as important to Russia as Chinese components and equipment, writes The Economist. In April, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Chinese citizens work at drone factories in Russia. An anonymous European defense official confirmed this. He added that Beijing is interested in testing its own equipment in real combat conditions.
In September 2024, China tightened export restrictions on drones and their components. Theoretically, the new rules apply to both the Russian Federation and Ukraine. In practice, they are applied selectively, the media writes. In May, Zelensky said that China had blocked the supply of Mavic quadcopters to Kyiv, but continued to supply them to Russia.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.