Chinese satellite imagery coincided with Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy sector - Zelenskyy
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service Oleh Ivashchenko (t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
China may be assisting Russia with satellite imagery. Chinese satellite images coincided with strikes on specific Ukrainian energy facilities, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation Andriy Kovalenko.
According to Zelenskyy, he was briefed by Oleh Ivashchenko, Head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service.
Removing Russian companies from sanctions
In particular, Ivashchenko told Zelenskyy that Russia is trying to take its energy companies out from under sanctions. To do this, Moscow is using alternative temporary managers and numerous fictitious legal schemes.
"We are tracking all of this and will engage with our partners to ensure that the pressure works and that Russia does not manage to make money from the war through such manipulations," the president emphasized.
Oreshnik missile in Belarus
The second issue Zelenskyy discussed with Ivashchenko was the deployment of the Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile in Belarus.
"Intelligence has obtained more details on this, and it is important that our partners are also aware of them and take them into account in their defensive steps. We believe that the aggressive spread of such weapons poses a global threat and creates a dangerous precedent. I have instructed that response options be prepared jointly with our partners," the head of state said.
Chinese assistance to Russia
Ivashchenko also briefed the president on the state of Russian military production and cooperation with companies and entities from other countries.
"We are noting increased ties between Russia and those entities in China that can provide space intelligence data. Unfortunately, there have been correlations between Chinese satellite imagery of Ukrainian territory and Russian strikes on corresponding energy facilities," Zelenskyy said.
According to him, this activity allows Russia to prolong the war and take less serious approaches to diplomacy.
Zelenskyy assured that he will discuss this matter with international partners.
Meanwhile, Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation Andrii Kovalenko said that China "may actually benefit from the continuation of the war." In this way, Beijing gains a weak and dependent Russia while also exhausting Europe.
Russia receives intelligence from China
As early as October, Oleh Aleksandrov, an officer of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, stated that China was providing Russia with satellite data.
In response to this information, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov claimed that Russia allegedly has its own space capabilities for the war against Ukraine.
