A new report alleges that Russia and China are collaborating on a covert weapons program to develop long-range drones for use in the war against Ukraine. According to documents reviewed by Reuters and sources familiar with the matter, a Russian state-owned weapons company, Almaz-Antey’s subsidiary IEMZ Kupol, has been working on a new drone model called Garpiya-3 (G3) in China.
The report claims that Kupol informed the Russian Defence Ministry that it could mass-produce the G3 drone at a factory in China with the assistance of local experts. Neither Kupol nor the Russian Defence Ministry responded to requests for comment.
This revelation comes as Ukraine’s presidential adviser, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, disclosed that around 60 percent of the foreign components found in Russian weapons used in Ukraine come from China.
Despite these allegations, China has consistently denied any involvement in the war, stating that it has not supplied weaponry or parts to either side. China’s foreign ministry reiterated this stance, claiming to be unaware of the drone project and asserting that the country maintains strict controls on the export of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
In a recent interview with ABC News aired on September 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that Russia is allegedly utilizing Chinese satellites to photograph Ukraine’s nuclear facilities in preparation for potential future attacks.
Zelensky stated, “The recent information indicates that Russia has been using Chinese satellites to capture images of specific details related to nuclear facilities.” He further expressed concern, noting, “Based on our experience, if Russia is photographing certain objects, it signals a threat of strikes against those nuclear sites.”
The president did not specify whether the Chinese satellites in question are commercial or operated by the Chinese government.
