“Suspicion of joint development or provision of China and Russia attack drones”

2024-07-04 11:29:04

Kiwi Independent reports, citing Reuters
If true, it would be difficult to claim ‘neutrality’ in the Sino-Ukrainian war

ⓒNewsis

Chinese companies are developing attack drones similar to the Shahed drone produced by Iran to support Russia’s war in Ukraine, the Kyiv Independent reported on the 3rd, citing Bloomberg News.

According to a Bloomberg report on the 2nd, reported by the Kiwi Independent, Chinese and Russian companies held discussions last year to develop an attack drone similar to the mass-produced Shahid drone.

Officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said the drone had not yet been used in Ukraine.

China officially maintains a neutral stance in the Ukraine war and denies providing lethal weapons assistance. But the two countries have been strengthening ties since Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping met in May.

Western countries, including the United States, have accused China of providing Russia with dual-use materials and technologies, including machine tools, weapons technology, satellite photography, and semiconductors, to help it continue its war in Ukraine.

“There is concern within NATO that China could show that it is no longer neutral,” Julian Smith, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, told Bloomberg TV. “We are warning China about the dangers of supporting Russia in an unprovoked war of aggression.”

Liu Fengyu, a spokeswoman for the Chinese embassy in the U.S., denied accusations that China was providing lethal weapons to Russia in a statement to Bloomberg, and urged Western countries to “immediately stop inciting conflict and inciting confrontation,” the newspaper reported.

Iran has been producing Shahd-type drones for Russia since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

If China provides or co-develops attack drones to Russia as reported, it would no longer be able to claim neutrality in the war, as this would be different from providing Russia with dual-use materials.

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2024-07-04 11:29:04