The West has evidence that China supplied Russia with weapons for the war against Ukraine, – Times

Western officials believe they have obtained evidence that Chinese companies are secretly supplying weapons to Russia, which could indicate a significant escalation of Beijing’s involvement in the war in Ukraine.

This was reported by The Times, citing a Western official.

The source stated that the West has evidence of an unnamed Chinese company’s involvement in supplying Russia with “a number of specialized military drones” used in the war against Ukraine.

The official did not disclose the name of the company but mentioned that the drone supply deal took place in 2023. He also emphasized that there is now “clear evidence that Chinese companies are providing Russia with lethal weapons for use in Ukraine.”

“While the Chinese government may not acknowledge this, it will be hard for them to hide their growing support for Russia,” the unnamed official said.

In addition, the source confirmed a recent Reuters report that Russia is believed to have established a program in China to develop and produce long-range strike drones for use in the war against Ukraine.

A NATO representative, in a comment to The Times, expressed “deep concern” about China’s involvement in military support for Russia, adding that Alliance members “are holding consultations on the matter.”

The Times also noted that Chinese companies are creating intermediaries to facilitate trade with Russia, circumventing the threat of sanctions.

“China has become a decisive factor contributing to Russia’s war in Ukraine by providing dual-use technologies to support Russia’s defense industry. The Chinese government must ensure that its companies do not provide lethal aid to Russia. China cannot continue fueling the largest conflict in Europe since World War II without impacting its own interests and reputation,” the source added.

Earlier, Reuters reported that a Russian company had launched mass production of drones at a plant in China for use in the war against Ukraine.

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