Chinese drone engines supplied to Russia disguised as "cooling units" - Reuters
Kyiv • UNN
Chinese engines are secretly supplied to the Russian drone manufacturer IEMZ Kupol through shell companies, which has allowed for an increase in the production of Harpy-A1 attack drones despite Western sanctions. The new Chinese firm Beijing Xichao International Technology and Trade began supplying L550E engines to Kupol after sanctions were imposed on Xiamen Limbach Aviation Engine Co.
According to reports from three European security experts, Chinese-made engines are secretly supplied through shell companies to a state-owned drone manufacturer in Russia called "industrial refrigeration units." This is done to avoid detection after Western sanctions, Reuters reports, writes UNN.
Details
These supplies, as stated, enabled the Russian arms manufacturer IEMZ Kupol to increase the production of the Harpy-A1 attack drone, despite US and EU sanctions imposed in October aimed at disrupting its supply chain, which included contracts, invoices, and customs documents.
An internal Kupol document reportedly showed that the company signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense to produce over six thousand "Harpies" this year, compared to two thousand in 2024. The document noted that over 1,500 drones had already been delivered by April.
The long-range drone is deployed for attacks on civilian and military targets deep within Ukrainian territory, with Russia using about 500 such drones monthly, according to a statement from Ukrainian military intelligence to Reuters.
In September, Reuters reported that Kupol was producing the Harpy using Chinese technology, including L550E engines manufactured by Xiamen Limbach Aviation Engine Co. A month after the Reuters report, the European Union and the United States imposed sanctions on several companies involved in drone production, including Xiamen.
After the sanctions, a new Chinese firm called Beijing Xichao International Technology and Trade began supplying L550E engines to Kupol, according to invoices, an internal Kupol letter, and shipping documents reviewed by Reuters.
The increase in Harpy production, as well as new intermediaries supplying drone parts, is being reported by Reuters for the first time. The news agency could not determine how Xichao obtained the engines from the manufacturer Xiamen Limbach. Xiamen Limbach did not respond to a request for comment, and Reuters could not reach Xichao.
IEMZ Kupol, the Russian Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Defense also did not respond to a request for comment.
In a statement to Reuters, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was unaware of the export of parts for "Harpies" and that it controlled overseas sales of dual-use goods in accordance with its own laws and China's international obligations.
"China has always opposed unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and are not authorized by the UN Security Council," the statement said.
Both the US and the EU have repeatedly imposed sanctions on companies in third countries, including China, that allegedly supplied Russia with dual-use technologies. Kupol has been under EU sanctions since December 2022 and US sanctions since December 2023 for its involvement in Russia's defense sector.
Addition
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. They called on China to use its influence on Russia to stop its aggressive war against Ukraine, acknowledging that relations between Beijing and Brussels had reached a "turning point."