Ukraine says China is key route for foreign tech in Russian weapons

China supplies 60% of foreign parts in Russian weapons in Ukraine, despite Western sanctions and U.S. chips found.

Roughly 60% of the foreign parts found in Russian weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine come via China, Ukraine’s presidential adviser Vladyslav Vlasiuk told reporters on Tuesday (September 24, 2024).

Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and despite sweeping Western sanctions, Moscow has been able to replenish its military machine with western microchips and semiconductors.

Ukraine has been struggling to keep up with Russia’s onslaught. Kyiv says Moscow not only receives parts from and via China but has also bought thousands of drones from Iran.

“If you take all the usual types of weapons and count the foreign-made components – about 60% would be coming from China. We have had lengthy discussions with some manufacturers about this,” said Mr. Vlasiuk, who was in Brussels to meet with European Union and G7 members to discuss sanctions against Russia.

“The PRC (China) is the biggest problem I would say.”

China is itself supplying Russia, as well as being a transit route for Western products. He said important parts used in surveillance, drones and missiles have also originated from the United States, the Netherlands, Japan, Ireland and Switzerland among other western countries.

Beijing has repeatedly denied supplying weaponry or parts to any party and says it is not involved in the Ukraine crisis.