**China’s Secret Supply to Russia**
China has become Russia’s sole supplier of three essential chemicals: gallium, germanium, and stibium. These substances are used in the production of weapons, including nuclear ones.
The change happened after Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia in 2022. Russia’s options for buying these chemicals from other countries were almost gone by 2023. China filled this gap.
**Links to Russian Military**
An investigation found that Chinese state-owned companies and Russian military companies are linked. Some of the nearly 20 Chinese companies exporting these metals to Russia have ties to the Chinese government.
One company, Yunnan Lincang Xinyuan Germanium Industry, is owned by a member of the Chinese Communist Party. Another company, Vital Technology Group, supplies gallium, germanium, and stibium to Russian military equipment factories.
**China’s Role in Ukraine War**
China has become Russia’s main source of dual-use goods that help the Russian defense industry. China also tries to act as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine, while criticizing the US and its allies for “exacerbating” the war.
**Other News**
* A suspected arms trafficker was arrested in Kyrgyzstan.
* Russian authorities blocked 417,000 websites in 2024.
* Ukrainian cyber specialists attacked Gazprom and Gazpromneft.
* A drop in shipping activity at a Baltic Sea port suggests that Ukrainian drones may have struck an oil pumping station.
