The United States has imposed sanctions on two Chinese drone suppliers and their alleged Russian partners, marking the first time the United States has penalised Chinese companies that supplied Russia with complete weapons systems for its war in Ukraine.
Washington has long accused China of supporting Russia’s war effort by supplying dual-use goods and components that could be used in weapons production, a charge Beijing denies. However, the US Treasury Department accused Chinese firms of being directly involved in supplying weapons to Moscow.
It said Chinese companies had collaborated with Russian defence firms in the production of Moscow’s ‘Garpiya series’ long-range drones. Xiamen Limbach Aircraft Engine Co., based in the coastal city of Xiamen, was accused of producing drone engines for the Garpiya series.
The US accused another sanctioned Chinese company, Redlepus Vector Industry Shenzhen Co. of working with a Russian defence firm to facilitate the shipment of drones to Russia.
The Treasury Department said Redlepus, through the Russian defence firm TSK Vektor, also sent to Russia shipments of components that could be used in drones, including aircraft engines, parts of automatic data processing machines and electrical components.
Ukraine imposes new sanctions against Russia, Iran and China
