Yekaterina SHTUKINA / POOL / AFP
- A Ukrainian intelligence chief accused China of helping to supply Russian military production plants.
- "We have confirmed data on 20 Russian factories," Oleh Ivashchenko told Ukrainian media.
- China has been accused of supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
A Ukrainian intelligence official has accused China of supplying resources to Russian military production facilities.
Speaking to Ukrinform state news agency, military intelligence chief Oleh Ivashchenko said Ukraine had "confirmed data" that China was supplying 20 Russian factories.
"There is information that China supplies tooling machines, special chemical products, gunpowder, and components specifically to defense manufacturing industries," he said.
"As of early 2025, 80 percent of critical electronic components found in Russian drones originated in China," Ivashchenko added.
Since the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western countries have imposed waves of sanctions in a bid to restrict its access to hardware such as chips, which are vital for building weapons like cruise missiles and some drones.
Russia has managed to partly dodge the sanctions through the support of its allies, and partly through complex black market networks for obtaining sanctioned tech.
China has provided Russia with diplomatic and economic backing in the wake of the Ukraine invasion, but has denied providing material to support the Russian military.
The Chinese embassy in London didn't respond to a Business Insider request for comment related to Ivashenko's claims.
The Biden administration last year accused China of providing vital dual-use goods to boost Russia's defence manufacturing sector.
However, Ivashchenko's comments are among the most specific claims on the nature of the support China may be providing to Russia.
"There are facts of product substitutions, deceptive product names, there are shell companies through which everything necessary for the production of microelectronics is supplied," Ivashchenko said.
The Kremlin has increased Russia's military production to keep pace with the huge demand for shells, drones, and other equipment on the front line.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in televised comments last month that production of weapons, communications, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare systems more than doubled in 2024.
"The troops received over 4,000 units of armoured weapons, 180 combat aircraft and helicopters," he said.