Ukraine says China is key route for foreign tech in Russian weapons

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By Julia Payne

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Roughly 60% of the foreign parts found in Russian weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine come via China, Ukraine’s presidential adviser Vladyslav Vlasiuk told reporters on Tuesday.

“If you take all the usual types of weapons and count the foreign made components – about 60% would be coming from China. We have had lengthy discussions with some manufacturers about this,” Vlasiuk said.

“The PRC (China) is the biggest problem I would say.”

He said important parts used in surveillance, drones and missiles have also originated from the United States, the Netherlands, Japan and Switzerland among other western countries.

Despite strong trade ties between Russia and China, Beijing has repeatedly denied supplying weaponry to any party and says it is not involved in the Ukraine crisis.

Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and despite sweeping western sanctions, Moscow has been able to replenish its military machine with western microchips and semiconductors.

The European Union could do more to stop the flow of western products, Vlasiuk said, including taking measures against Russia’s nuclear firm Rosatom.

“Rosatom…we believe it (Russia) has been using its networks to supply the Russian army,” he said. European capitals have been reluctant to take any action owing to Russia’s dominance in nuclear plant supplies.

The bloc could also target Russia’s logistics, such as airports and seaports, and financial institutions that facilitate the sales, he said. Vlasiuk also pointed to a U.S. package of sanctions on IT, which he said has been very effective after coming into force earlier this month.

(Reporting by Julia Payne; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Peter Graff)