A drone. Photo: Oleksandr Husiev / Zuma Press
The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, has informed the European community that there is convincing evidence that a Chinese company is producing attack drones for Russia, which are used in the war against Ukraine. This information came on the eve of a meeting of EU foreign ministers, The Kyiv Independent reports, citing the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
According to a European official, a factory in China is supplying Russia with attack drones. Despite the lack of direct confirmation of the Chinese government’s involvement in these activities, diplomats believe that such deliveries could not have taken place without the knowledge of official Beijing.
“It is hard for us to imagine that such activities are possible without the involvement of the Chinese authorities,” the EU diplomat told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Although China officially maintains a neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine war, it remains Moscow’s key economic partner and one of the main suppliers of dual-use goods that Russia uses to strengthen its defence industry.
Earlier, Reuters reported on a secret programme that allows Russia to develop and manufacture long-range drones in China. The drone in question is the G3 model, which has a range of up to 2,000 km and can carry a load of up to 50 kg. According to European intelligence, the Russian company Kupol has already received seven Chinese-made military drones, including two G3s.
These drones are likely to be used on the Ukrainian front, which is a cause for concern in both the EU and the US.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was not aware of such projects, stressing the strictness of its drone export controls. A White House spokesperson said that the US has no evidence of Chinese government involvement, but expressed deep concern over the potential assistance of Chinese companies to Russian defence structures under sanctions.
Although specific steps have not yet been determined, EU diplomats do not rule out additional sanctions against companies and individuals associated with this production. The issue is also expected to be discussed at the APEC summit in Peru, where US President Joe Biden plans to express “deep concern” over China’s support for Russia.
European countries are calling on China to adhere to the principles of neutrality and refrain from cooperating with Moscow in the military sphere. If the participation of Chinese companies in the supply of drones is confirmed, the EU and the US may impose new economic restrictions, which will increase Beijing’s international isolation.
