In 2024–2025, Chinese specialists visited Russia at least six times for technical developments in the field of military drones at the state arms plant in Izhevsk, which is under Western sanctions, reported Reuters, citing two European officials.
Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant "Kupol" also received batches of Chinese strike and reconnaissance drones through a Russian intermediary, according to documentation reviewed by the agency. Commercial invoices and bank statements showed that last year the Izhevsk plant received more than a dozen strike drones produced by the Chinese drone manufacturer Sichuan AEE. The drones were supplied by the Russian defense procurement company "TSK Vector", which is under US and EU sanctions.
A letter from "Vector" to the Izhevsk plant, analyzed by Reuters, showed that in the second quarter of 2024, the procurement company invoiced the arms manufacturer for more than half a dozen drones produced in China. At the same time, Chinese specialists are listed in the documents as employees of this company.
In "Kupol" reports reviewed by the agency, flight tests of A60, A100, and A200 unmanned aerial vehicles are described at the Chebarkul military range in the Chelyabinsk region of Russia in the last quarter of 2024. According to the documents, a group of Chinese experts visited "Kupol" production facilities in the city of Izhevsk to assemble unmanned aerial vehicles and train plant personnel. They then visited Chebarkul, from where they flew out, according to the airline booking system, the day after the tests.
Subsequently, in the second quarter of 2025, according to an account statement, Sichuan AEE invoiced "TSK Vector" for more than 5 million yuan (700,000 USD) for several A200 aircraft equipped with jamming equipment, as well as for other goods.
In July, Reuters reported that "Kupol" produces thousands of Harpy strike drones using Chinese components, including engines. Harpy drones, modeled after Iranian Shaheds, can fly hundreds of kilometers to pre-programmed targets, then dive from a height and explode on impact. According to Kyiv, about 500 of these drones are used monthly in Ukraine.
Photo: Reuters