Chinese components make up 70% of Russian drones and missiles
Photo: Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Ukraine’s Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy (Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
Most components used in Russian drones and missiles are supplied by China.
This was stated by the President of Ukraine’s Commissioner for Sanctions Policy, according to a broadcast on My-Ukraine.
The President of Ukraine’s Commissioner for Sanctions Policy noted that the share of Chinese components used in Russian UAVs and missiles has increased since the start of the full-scale invasion.
According to him, this involves not only microelectronics but also production equipment, machine tools, and certain chemical substances. These supplies enable Russia’s military-industrial complex to maintain current production rates.
Commenting on the impact of sanctions, he stressed that they are only partially effective:
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Russia is not always able to obtain the required components;
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even when supplies do occur, their volume and price do not meet the aggressor’s needs.
He added that Ukraine is holding talks with China on this issue, but there has been no response so far.
Since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has actively tracked the origins of components used in Russian weapons to strengthen sanctions pressure.
Russia–China cooperation
The growing share of Chinese components highlights Russia’s efforts to circumvent sanctions while also showing that restrictions affect availability and costs for the aggressor. This dynamic is critical for the strategic planning of sanctions enforcement and technology controls related to military use.
Earlier reports indicated that China has intensified cooperation with Russia, including in the military-industrial sphere. In June, RBC-Ukraine reported that China had become a key supplier for Russia’s war machine, with suggestions that lethal aid may have been transferred. Reuters also reported shipments of Chinese military engines to Russia disguised as industrial refrigeration units.
In September, the US President’s Special Envoy for Ukraine said that if China halted supplies to Russia, the war in Ukraine could end as early as the next day.
