According to two sources from a European intelligence agency and documents reviewed by Reuters, Russia has established a weapons program in China to develop and produce long-range attack drones for use in the war against Ukraine. The report, which is based on intelligence findings, suggests that the collaboration between Russian and Chinese specialists involves the development of a new drone model called Garpiya-3 (G3) through IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of the Russian state-owned arms company Almaz-Antey.
The intelligence sources and documents reveal that IEMZ Kupol, working with Chinese specialists, has successfully developed and conducted flight tests for the Garpiya-3 (G3) drone in China. According to one of the reports sent by Kupol to the Russian Defense Ministry, the company has expressed its capability to produce these drones on a large scale at a Chinese factory. The drone, the G3, is said to have a flight range of approximately 2,000 km (about 1,243 miles) and can carry a payload of up to 50 kg (about 110 pounds) .
Kupol has reportedly received samples of the G3, along with other drone models manufactured in China, for further testing at its headquarters in Izhevsk, Russia. Two documents reviewed by Reuters indicate that a total of seven military drones, including two G3 units, have been delivered to Kupol, providing the first solid evidence of complete Chinese-manufactured unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) being supplied to Russia since the start of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has denied any knowledge of such a project and stated that China maintains strict control measures over drone exports, reaffirming Beijing’s official position that it has not supplied weaponry or components to any party involved in the Ukraine conflict. Despite these claims, Ukrainian officials, including presidential adviser Vladyslav Vlasiuk, have reported that approximately 60% of foreign components found in Russian weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine originate from China.
Expanded Coverage:
