According to sources from a European intelligence agency and documents reviewed by Reuters, Russia has established a weapons program in China to develop and produce long-range attack drones for use in the war against Ukraine. This collaboration, if confirmed, would be a significant escalation in China’s support for Russia’s military efforts, potentially involving the transfer of complete weapon systems rather than just components.
The program is being carried out by IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of Russian state-owned weapons company Almaz-Antey, which has developed and flight-tested a new drone model called Garpiya-3 (G3) in China with the help of local specialists. Kupol has also reported to the Russian defense ministry that it is able to produce drones, including the G3, at scale at a factory in China for deployment in the “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Both Kupol and the Russian defense ministry have not responded to requests for comment. China’s foreign ministry has stated that it is not aware of such a project and has strict control measures on the export of drones. However, if confirmed, the delivery of UAVs from China to Russia would be a significant development, as previous transfers have only involved components and sub-components.
The White House National Security Council has expressed deep concern over the reported drones program, stating that it appears to be an instance of a Chinese company providing lethal assistance to a US-sanctioned Russian firm. While the White House has not seen evidence of Chinese government involvement, they have urged China to ensure that companies are not providing lethal aid to Russia for military use.
According to two separate documents reviewed by Reuters, Kupol has taken delivery of seven military drones, including two G3s, from China. The invoices, which request payment in Chinese yuan, do not specify delivery dates or identify the suppliers in China. The two European intelligence sources have stated that the delivery of these sample drones to Kupol is the first concrete evidence of the collaboration between Russia and China in this weapons program.
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