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For the first time, the United States has officially established that China is supplying Russia with ready-made combat drones used on the battlefield. This was announced at a briefing on 17 October by US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
New facts about cooperation between China and Russia
As Miller noted, the United States has been watching for some time as Chinese companies have been supplying components to Russian manufacturers, who in turn have been using these parts to build equipment and weapons. This time, however, there was a case where a Chinese company directly transferred finished weapons – combat drones – to the Russian military, which used them in the war against Ukraine.
“This is the first time we have identified a Chinese company that directly supplied weapons used on the battlefield,” Miller said.
Sanctions and the US response
The United States has already imposed sanctions on companies and individuals involved in schemes to supply military components to Russia. Now that the facts of the transfer of ready-made combat drones have become known, new countermeasures are possible. This opens a new chapter in the relationship between Washington, Beijing and Moscow, adding new levels of tension to the global arena.
Wider context: China’s espionage activities
Along with arms sales, China continues to increase its intelligence activities around the world. According to The Wall Street Journal, China’s army of spies could number up to 600,000, far exceeding the scale of the Soviet KGB’s operations during the Cold War. These operations include cyberattacks, scientific and industrial espionage, to which the West currently has no effective response.
The discovery of the supply of combat drones is an important step in the investigation of cooperation between China and Russia, which could have serious implications for the future policy of the United States and its allies. This discovery not only strengthens the case for tougher sanctions, but also exacerbates geopolitical tensions between key global players.
