Chinese and Russian companies are developing an attack drone similar to the Iranian Shahed, which is actively attacking Ukraine.
Points of attention
- China and Russia are developing the Sunflower 200 attack drone, similar to Iran's Shahed, for use by the Russian military.
- Russia uses Shahed drones for attacks in Ukraine and receives support from North Korea, Iran and China.
- China provides Russia with satellite imagery, microelectronics, and weapons technology used for military purposes.
What is known about the new drone that China is developing with the Russian Federation
According to the agency, in 2023 companies from the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China held negotiations on cooperation to copy the Iranian Shahed drone, and this year began development and testing of a version to prepare for shipment to Russia.
At the same time, Bloomberg sources say that Chinese drones will not be used in Ukraine yet.
Some countries believe that providing Russia with UAVs for attack purposes would cross the line of lethal aid, which the West has repeatedly warned Chinese officials against, two officials said.
One person familiar with the matter said the US estimates China is weighing whether to send fully built drones, but in the meantime is sending "kits that can be converted into attack drones". The US still does not believe China is sending lethal aid to Russia, he said, noting that other countries may have a different interpretation.
One concern, officials said, is that China could produce a Shahed-like drone much faster than Iran or Russia.
Officials have not identified the drone, but Chinese defense websites and several media outlets have reported that the country is developing a kamikaze attack drone called the Sunflower 200, which looks similar to Iran's Shahed 136 drone.
Military cooperation between China and the Russian Federation
The US does not believe that China is providing Russia with lethal weapons, but is convinced that the PRC is sending components to the Russian Federation that Moscow uses to manufacture weapons.
China rejects all accusations of supporting Russian armed aggression against Ukraine, saying that normal economic cooperation between the countries continues.
Since the beginning of the war, Russia has used thousands of Shahed drones against Ukraine, even building a factory to mass-produce them.
But Russia still relies on supplies from countries like North Korea and Iran and China for critical parts and components.
In April, Bloomberg News reported that China is providing Russia with satellite imagery for military purposes, microelectronics and machine tools for tanks, as well as a range of technologies used in or required for weapons production.
Recently, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that Chinese aid plays a key role in Russia's war against Ukraine. Over the past year, 90% of the microelectronics imported by the Russian Federation came from China.
