Kyiv’s intelligence chief ‘confirms’ that China is straight aiding Russia’s arms trade.
Ukraine has knowledge that confirms China is supplying Russia’s arms trade, in response to the pinnacle of Kyiv’s overseas intelligence service.
Oleh Ivashchenko stated in an interview revealed by the Ukrinform information company on Monday that Ukraine can “verify” that China is offering vital supplies and gear to twenty Russian navy factories.
Beijing has recurrently denied accusations from Kyiv that it’s aiding Moscow’s warfare in opposition to its neighbour.
Final month, Ukraine accused China of direct navy help to Russia’s arms trade. Ivashchenko stated that the nation’s intelligence company can now verify these experiences.
“There’s data that China provides tooling machines, particular chemical merchandise, gunpowder, and elements particularly to defence manufacturing industries,” he stated. “We now have confirmed knowledge on 20 Russian factories.”
‘Groundless’
Though China has sought to undertaking a picture of neutrality and denies any involvement within the warfare, it has elevated trade and economic cooperation with Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In the meantime, Western international locations have imposed sweeping sanctions on Moscow.
Ukraine has recurrently urged China is supporting the warfare, and has stated that Beijing has sent soldiers to combat alongside Russian forces.
Final month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made his first public accusation that China is supplying gunpowder and supplies to Russia’s arms producers, whereas additionally accusing Chinese language residents of serving to within the manufacturing of drones.
China rejected the declare as “groundless,” however Kyiv has since imposed sanctions on three Chinese language entities.
Ivashchenko stated that Ukrainian intelligence had data on no less than 5 circumstances of Russian-Chinese language cooperation within the aviation sector between 2024 and 2025, together with the switch of kit, spare components and technical documentation.
He added that there have been six circumstances involving “massive shipments” of specialty chemical compounds, however didn’t present additional particulars.
“As of early 2025, 80 % of vital digital elements present in Russian drones originated in China,” Ivashchenko added.
“On the identical time, there are details of product substitutions, misleading product names; there are shell firms by way of which all the pieces needed for the manufacturing of microelectronics is provided.”
The feedback got here as Ukraine’s Air Drive stated Russia had launched a record number of drones in opposition to Ukraine in a single day on Sunday.
Russian forces deployed 298 drones and 69 missiles, in response to the report, however the Air Drive stated it was in a position to down 266 drones and 45 missiles.
Al Jazeera was not in a position to independently confirm the figures. Ukraine stated that the assault was the biggest of the warfare by way of weapons fired.
