According to an insider, Russia is producing drones in China. The extent of the Chinese state’s involvement is still unclear.
According to European intelligence sources, Russia is pushing ahead with a weapons program for long-range drones in China. This would be the first time that drones would be developed and produced for use in Ukraine, two intelligence officials told the Reuters news agency.
The company IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of the Russian arms company Almaz-Antey, has developed and tested a Garpija-3 drone in China with the help of Chinese specialists. This is according to one of the documents that Reuters was able to see. Kupol sent this job description to the Russian Defense Ministry this year. In another document, Kupol makes it clear that the drones could be produced there on a larger scale and used in the “special operation.” This is the official Russian name for the war against Ukraine.
Kupol, its parent company Almaz-Antey and the Russian Defense Ministry did not respond to Reuters’ inquiries. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of the project. China has strict controls on the export of drones and similar flying objects. The US State Department and the Ukrainian government did not respond to Reuters’ questions.
According to the document, the Garpija-3 (G3) can fly around 2,000 kilometers and carry 50 kilograms of explosives. Two test models of the G3 and several other drone types, which were also produced in China, were delivered to the Kupol headquarters in Izhevsk, Russia, for further tests. Chinese experts are also involved in this, but their identities have not been disclosed. This is according to invoices from Kupol, which Reuters was able to see.
According to intelligence sources, the delivery is the first evidence since the war began that complete drones manufactured in China were supplied by China. The documents do not provide any information on where exactly they were produced or whether series production has been approved. China has repeatedly denied that it is supplying Russia with weapons for use in Ukraine.
Fabian Hinz, an expert at the London Institute for Strategic Studies, spoke of a serious development if the deliveries were confirmed. “If you look at what China has delivered so far, it was mostly so-called dual-use goods; that is, components that could be used for weapons production.” But this is about complete weapons systems.
Samuel Bendett of the “Center for a New American Security” in Washington pointed out that China would be cautious about aiding the Russian war machine. Otherwise, it could be hit by international sanctions. More information is needed to prove that China is actually a production country for Russian military drones.
Drones have proven highly effective for both sides in the war. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the army had received around 140,000 of them in 2023.
