According to two options from a German intelligence agency, Russia has established a weapons program in China to create and manufacture long-range strike drones for use in the conflict against Ukraine. A subsidiary of Russian state-owned arms company Almaz-Antey, known as IEMZ Kupol, has developed and flight-tested a new drone model called Garpiya-3 ( G3 ) in China with the help of local specialists, as outlined in a report sent by Kupol to the Russian defence ministry earlier this year, according to an exclusive report from Reuters.
In a later update, Kupol informed the defense ministry that it could produce drones, including the G3, at a level in a Chinese manufacturer, enabling Moscow to recommend to the conflict as the” unique military function” in Ukraine.
Kupol, Almaz-Antey, and the Russian defense ministry did not respond to requests for comment, whereas China’s foreign ministry claimed it was unaware of a project like this and that Beijing had tight controls over the import of robots.
Fabian Hinz, a research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based military think-tank, said that the distribution of UAVs from China to Russia if confirmed, would be a major growth, as previous studies have largely focused on the distribution of dual-use goods and components.
However, Samuel Bendett, a senior fellow adjunct at the Center for a New American Security ( CNAS ), a Washington-based think-tank, suggested that Beijing would be reluctant to retaliate against international sanctions for supporting Moscow’s military and that more information was required to establish China’s role in hosting the production of Russian military drones.
US expresses heavy problem
The Reuters statement was viewed by the White House National Security Council as an example of a Chinese company providing destructive aid to a US-sanctioned Russian firm, despite there was no evidence to suggest the Chinese state was conscious of the trades involved.
The supply of weapons would directly contradict China’s claims that it would not give weapons to the relevant parties to the conflict, according to Britain’s foreign office, which demanded that China stop supporting Russia’s war effort.
The G3 can travel about 2, 000 kilometers with a payload of 50 kg, according to Kupol’s reports to the Russian defense ministry. With the assistance of Chinese experts, samples of the G3 and other Chinese drone models have been sent to Kupol in Russia for further testing.
According to the documents reviewed by Reuters, Kupol has received seven military drones made in China, including two G3s, at its headquarters in the Russian city of Izhevsk, along with invoices that were sent to it by a Russian company acting as an intermediary with Chinese suppliers in the summer.
The two intelligence sources claimed that the delivery of the sample drones to Kupol was the first tangible proof their agency had discovered of completely manufactured UAVs delivered to Russia since the Ukraine war first started in February 2022.
China asserts that it keeps a neutral stance.
Kupol has been working on a project to manufacture drones in China for use in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to the documents that Reuters reviewed. Kupol has been in contact with the Russian defense ministry regarding this initiative, according to the reports and invoices provided by the sources, though it was not specifically stated where the related sites are located.
China has consistently maintained a neutral position and has consistently denied providing weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine. The Chinese foreign ministry made a point about the opposing behavior of other nations, which have “double standards on arms sales,” which have exacerbated the Ukrainian crisis. In response to a previous Reuters report about Kupol producing the Garpiya-A1 long-range military drone in Russia using Chinese components, the ministry added that there are no international restrictions on China’s trade with Russia.
According to the documents, Kupol has gone beyond buying parts to now buy complete UAVs from China.
Due to the fact that these weapons have proven to be extremely effective in the conflict, both Russia and Ukraine are working to increase their drone production.
Former UN weapons inspector David Albright suggests Kupol could evade Western sanctions against Russia by setting up a production facility in China with access to cutting-edge technology and expertise. However, Bendett from CNAS points out that China may be wary of officially hosting a factory that produces UAVs for Russia, as it could ensnab the country to harsher sanctions.
Chinese experts redesigned G3 drone
The G3, a drone developed by Kupol, is an enhanced version of the Garpiya-A1, based on reports sent to the Russian defence ministry. Chinese experts redesigned the G3 using the Garpiya-A1’s blueprints, according to the Reuters report.
A 400kg payload-capable REM 1 attack UAV, according to Kupol, would be produced in China in eight months. This system and the US Reaper drone were compared by two European intelligence agencies.
According to the sources, TSK Vektor, a second Russian defense company, served as Kupol’s intermediary with Chinese suppliers. Without providing specifics about Redlepus ‘ specific role, they claimed that the Russian companies worked with Redlepus TSK Vector Industrial, a Chinese company based in Shenzhen.
A separate document from one that Reuters reviewed details plans to set up a joint Russian-Chinese drone research and production facility in the Kashgar special economic zone of China’s Xinjiang province. The document, which bore the logos of the three companies, did not specify the intended recipient or a timeline for the centre’s operation.
The proposed” Advanced UAV Research and Manufacturing Base” would span 80 hectares and have the capacity to produce 800 drones annually, according to the document.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at a recent meeting in St. Petersburg that his military would receive around 140, 000 drones in 2023 and that it would tenfold this number by the year. He emphasised,” Whoever reacts faster to demands on the battlefield wins”.
