Trade between China and Russia will exceed $200 billion this year, according to The Telegraph investigation, setting a new record. And the export of goods that can be used in the military sphere has tripled in a year.
Tens of thousands of deliveries from China were received by Russian companies after the start of the war in Ukraine. We are talking about those that produce armored vehicles, rocket launchers, strategic bombers. Among these companies there are those that fell under Western sanctions.
According to the research organization Molfar Global, two months before the start of the invasion of Ukraine, the Chinese company Shantou Honghu Plastics sent a thousand drones to Russia. Officially, drone suppliers are listed as toy wholesalers, which is how she positions herself on her website and social media.
The drones were sent to the Russian company Samson, also represented as a toy wholesaler. The Telegraph suggests that this is a shell company, since its authorized capital does not exceed 10 thousand rubles.
Further more. Four days after the start of the war in Ukraine, the Chinese company Hems999 sent two helicopters to Russia. Another Chinese firm, Tianjin Huarong Aviation, has delivered four Airbus helicopters to Russia since the start of the war. The equipment was received by the Russian company Ural Helicopter, whose main customer is the National Guard.
According to the investigation, from the beginning of 2022 to the first quarter of 2023, Chinese firms sent optical sights to more than 50 Russian companies. Imports of these products in 2022 almost doubled compared to the previous year and amounted to $2.5 million. Most of them, about 2500 pieces, were supplied by Yiwu Wojie Optics Instrument. The recipient is the Russian company CEK, which previously supplied similar goods and night vision devices to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. The documents indicate that this equipment is intended for hunting, but, as The Telegraph notes, it can be adapted to military weapons.
In 2022, China exported $18 million worth of titanium alloy products to Russia, twice as much as in 2021. Lightweight and heat-resistant titanium alloys are one of the main materials used for the production of military aircraft and weapons.
By data The Telegraph, titanium sheets and rods were delivered from China to NPP “Start”. The enterprise is engaged in the development of anti-aircraft missile systems and is part of the Rostec state corporation. The titanium products were also sent to S7 Technics, an aircraft maintenance and repair company. The publication claims that S7 is also working on the production of aircraft spare parts so that Russian airlines can keep their fleet operational after the imposition of sanctions.
But that’s not all. Chinese companies sent batches of magnesium alloys to the Tupolev company, which builds and helps maintain Tu-95 and Tu-160M long-range bombers – they were used to launch cruise missile strikes on Ukrainian territory.
Companies associated with the production of KAMAZ vehicles and KAMAZ Typhoon armored personnel carriers received at least 520 consignments of goods from China (spare parts, welding machines and laser machines that can be used to manufacture weapons and military equipment). The Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works, which is under sanctions, also received supplies from China.
According to the publication, China can supply raw materials to the Russian Federation through third countries. Beijing and Moscow are also reported to have been in secret talks with Iran to supply ammonium perchlorate, a chemical compound used to propel ballistic missiles. If the transaction is concluded, it will be hidden from the official trade registers.
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