Russian media claim Chinese secretly smuggle military gear from Russia to make cheaper copies
Illustrative photo (Russian media)
Chinese citizens are actively exporting bulletproof vests, tactical backpacks, military uniforms from Russia. The goal is to study and create cheaper analogs, according to Izvestia.
“There is an increase in the number of illegal operations related to the export of military and dual-use goods,” a source of the propaganda media said.
The source adds that Chinese citizens use various loopholes to export military equipment from Russia, including in postal services.
According to Izvestia, a Chinese man born in 1997 was detained in Moscow in mid-April. He had sent two unloading vests, including a Ratnik (a vest that can be used to put armor plates, and has many pockets, fasteners, and pouches).
Later, Russian law enforcement officials allegedly found that this Chinese citizen had already exported two 6B45 bulletproof vests, combat packs, and other military equipment from Russia.
In December 2024, a 27-year-old student from China was detained in Moscow for smuggling military equipment. He was found to own bulletproof vests, bullet casings, armor plates, and other equipment.
Cases of export of military equipment from Russia began in 2022, when Russia started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In the fall of that year, a Chinese citizen was sentenced to three years in prison for smuggling sensors for military equipment.
China's assistance to Russia
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said that China was transferring weapons to Russia, particularly gunpowder and artillery.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian has criticized President Zelenskyy, who said that Beijing was supplying weapons to Russia. China called Zelenskyy's words "groundless".
