China supplied Russia with weapons for war against Ukraine, West proves - Times

A new report obtained by the allies says that a Chinese company sent a number of specially designed military drones to Russia for testing. Their final destination was Ukraine.

According to a Western official, who did not disclose the name of the company, the deal took place in 2023. However, there is now clear evidence that Chinese companies are supplying Russia with deadly weapons for use in Ukraine.

“While the Chinese government might not admit it, they are going to struggle to keep their increasing support under wraps,” the official added, accusing Beijing of involvement or knowledge of the supply.

In addition, the sources confirmed a Reuters report published earlier in the week that Russia is believed to have set up a program in China to develop and produce long-range attack drones for use in the war against Ukraine.

One of the documents states that the Kupol Research and Production Plant, a subsidiary of the Russian state arms company Almaz-Antey, has developed and flight-tested a new model of the Garpiya-3 (G3) drone in China with the help of local specialists.

This year, Kupol submitted a report on the work done to the Russian Ministry of Defense. In subsequent reports, the company informed the Defense Ministry that it had managed to establish large-scale production of drones, including G3, at a plant in China so that these weapons could be used in the war against Ukraine.

At the same time, a NATO spokesperson told The Times that the information provided by the newspaper is "deeply concerning and allies are consulting on this matter."

“China has become a decisive enabler of Russia's war in Ukraine through its provision of dual-use technologies to sustain Russia's defense industry. The Chinese government has a responsibility to ensure its companies are not providing lethal assistance to Russia. China cannot continue to fuel the largest conflict in Europe since the Second World War without this impacting its interests and reputation,” the source added.

Meanwhile, Fabian Hinz, a research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a defense think tank in London, said that if the Chinese government is aware of what is happening, it “would be a significant development.”

“If you look at what China is known to have delivered so far, it was mostly dual-use goods... What we haven’t really seen, at least in the open source, are documented transfers of whole weapon systems,” he said.

Kupol and Almaz-Antey did not respond to comments when contacted by Reuters.

In turn, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the UK said they were “not aware of the specifics.”

“China exercises strict export control over drones, and always strictly controls military and dual-use drones in accordance with laws and regulations,” he added.

The representative also said that China's position and practice have been consistent, in sharp contrast to the double standards of some countries regarding arms sales and their behavior, which has added fuel to the fire of the Ukrainian crisis.

“China has always maintained an objective and fair position on the Ukrainian crisis, actively advocated peace and promoted talks, and is committed to promoting a political solution to the crisis,” the spokesperson added.

Vladyslav Vasiuk, Ukraine's Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy, told Reuters that about 60% of foreign parts found in Russian weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine came from China.