Russia could produce up to 200,000 drones thanks to oil trade with Taiwan – Study
Russia could produce 170,000 drones with revenue from Taiwan's oil purchases (photo: Getty Images)
Imports of Russian oil to Taiwan have increased almost sixfold, bringing the Kremlin billions in revenue, enough to produce hundreds of thousands of drones, according to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), the Environmental Rights Foundation (ERF), Ecodefense, and Urgewald.
What is known about Taiwan's oil business with Russia
Since 2022, imports of Russian oil to Taiwan have increased almost sixfold, generating $1.7 billion in profits for Russia. This amount would be enough to produce 170,000 Gerbera drones, researchers claim.
Due to this trade, Taiwan risks deteriorating diplomatic relations with countries that have imposed sanctions against Russia and its energy trade.
It is noted that Taiwan has provided Ukraine with a total of $50 million in bilateral aid since the start of the invasion. However, it paid more than 220 times that amount — $11.2 billion — for Russian oil.
From the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine to the end of June 2025, Taiwan imported 6.8 million tons of Russian oil worth $4.9 billion, which accounts for approximately 20% of Russia's total exports.
Thus, Taiwan has become the world's third-largest buyer.
Ukraine's allies buy petroleum products made from Russian raw materials
The EU, the US, and the UK imported petrochemical products made from oil at the Mailiao Refinery, worth approximately $334 million.
These supplies to countries that apply sanctions likely contain molecules of Russian raw materials due to the refinery's significant dependence on oil from the Kremlin.
It is known that the EU plans to abandon Russian oil in the near future completely. At the same time, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the new package of sanctions against Moscow will include the EU's rejection of Russian LNG.
Hungary and Slovakia oppose the EU's ban on purchasing Russian energy resources, and their leaders have recently made critical statements on this issue.
