The White House has expressed concern over Russia’s reported weapons program established in China to develop long-range attack drones for its war against Ukraine. Reuters exclusively reported on Sept. 25 that IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of Russian state-owned arms company Almaz-Antey, has developed and flight-tested a new military drone in China with the help of Chinese experts.
The documents obtained by Reuters show that Kupol has been mass producing military drones in Chinese factories to use in its war against Ukraine, according to the report. The range of the drone, a Garpiya-3 (G3) model, is 1,200 miles, with a maximum payload of 110 pounds. The sample drone made in China has been sent to headquarters in Russia for further testing.
The White House is concerned by the report, a spokesperson told Reuters. “These transactions are further evidence that the PRC [People’s Republic of China] government’s efforts are clearly not meeting the mark,” a National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson said on Sept. 25.
The U.S. government hasn’t seen any evidence to suggest the Chinese regime is directly involved in providing lethal weapons to Russia or its awareness of the transactions, said the spokesperson. “However, the PRC government also has a responsibility to ensure its companies are not providing lethal assistance,” they added.
The United States has accused China of providing substantial help to Russia for its war in Ukraine. NATO stated at its summit in Washington in July that China is “a decisive enabler” in Russia’s war effort and will pose the biggest challenge for NATO in the future.
Kupol, Almaz-Antey and Russian defense ministry didn’t respond to Reuters’ report. China’s foreign ministry said it was not aware of such a project and maintained neutrality on the Russia-Ukraine war.
Experts estimate that Russia uses more than 10,000 drones every month from various sources including Iran and possibly China for its war efforts against Ukraine.
China-Russia alliance remains intact due to geopolitical convenience as they share economic and technological needs along with energy and material exchange.
