Chinese support for Russia now includes possible lethal military aid

In a recent Russian drone assault on Kyiv on June 10th, nearly 500 drones were launched. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns that Russia may soon be capable of doubling such raids. A key reason, as The Economist reveals, is China’s growing role in enabling Russia’s war machine.

Early in the war, drones like the Iranian-designed Shahed were filled with American-made parts. Now, according to Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR), the latest versions recovered from the battlefield are “filled with Chinese parts” — including Chinese-made antennae, with only a few American components remaining.

Western officials told The Economist that since 2023, China has provided Russia not only with critical components and civilian drones but also “small quantities of artillery ammunition and military UAVs,” marking a shift toward potential lethal aid. This includes Chinese-made mortar shells found near Melitopol and the development of a new Russian drone, the Garpiya-3, reportedly flight-tested in China with support from Chinese firms.

In May 2024, former UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps revealed intelligence confirming that the Garpiya-3 was “a lethal system, not a dual-use aircraft.” While some European officials remain cautious, the evidence suggests that China may have crossed a line it once hesitated to approach.

President Zelenskyy has alleged that Chinese representatives are present in Russian arms production facilities. Ukrainian intelligence and defense officials also say China has helped Russia manufacture explosives, drone components, and even supply machine tools essential to weapons production.

As The Economist concludes, without China’s expanding support, “Russia’s defense industry would be crippled.”