A recent exclusive Reuters report reveals that Russia is currently overseeing a covert program in China for the production of long-range drones, expected to be deployed in Ukraine amidst increasing NATO involvement in the war. The classified defense tech program is believed to involve IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of Russian state-owned weapons company Almaz-Antey, which has set up operations in China and is serving as an intermediary for the project.
The news agency claims to have reviewed leaked documents containing information about a new type of advanced drone, called the Garpiya-3 (G3), which is being developed with the assistance of local Chinese specialists. This revelation comes at a time when tensions between the US and both China and Russia are escalating, with Washington accusing Chinese companies of supplying Russia’s defense sector.
The Garpiya-3 drone is said to be comparable to some advanced American drones, capable of traveling 2,000km while carrying a payload of 50kg – a significant development for the Russian military. The alleged collaboration between Russia and China on this drone project raises the possibility that Moscow may soon deploy something similar to the US’s MQ9 Reaper drone over the skies of Ukraine.
Reuters further alleges, based on their review of documents, that Kupol has already received at least seven military drones made in China at its Izhevsk headquarters in Western Russia. Some payments by Russia for these drones have reportedly been made in Chinese yuan. The report cites “two intelligence sources” who claim that the delivery of sample drones to Kupol marks the first concrete evidence their agency has found of whole UAVs manufactured in China being delivered to Russia since the start of the Ukraine war in February 2022.
While Russian defense officials have not commented on these allegations and are unlikely to do so, Moscow has consistently defended its right to conduct business with any country it chooses. Meanwhile, some pundits have labeled China, Russia, and Iran as part of a new “axis of evil” related to the war in Ukraine.
China has repeatedly denied providing military supplies to Russia for use in the Ukraine conflict, emphasizing an official policy of neutrality in the matter. However, Presidents Putin and Xi have made no secret of their close friendship and partnership with one another. The two nations’ militaries have recently conducted joint naval drills in the Pacific, which has been perceived as a threat by Japan.
At the same time, China has criticized Western countries for their “double standards on arms sales” to Ukraine, claiming that these transactions are exacerbating the ongoing crisis. Beijing has also become increasingly critical of NATO’s growing influence in the region.
