**Moscow’s Drone Production Soars with Chinese Help**
Russia has significantly increased its production of drones, a move made possible by its reliance on Chinese components. According to Politico, Moscow is heavily dependent on supplies from China for both tactical and long-range drones.
This partnership between Russia and China has allowed Moscow to narrow the technological and production gap with Ukraine in the drone sector. Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service representative, Oleh Aleksandrov, revealed that Chinese manufacturers are supplying Russia with critical equipment, including electronics, navigation systems, engines, microchips, processor modules, antenna systems, and control boards.
**Beijing Denies Involvement**
While China officially claims to comply with all regulations, Ukrainian officials say this is not the case. Aleksandrov stated that Chinese companies use “shell companies” to avoid export controls and sanctions for their activities.
The impact of this partnership has been significant, as Russia’s drone production numbers have skyrocketed. According to estimates, Moscow aims to produce up to 2 million small tactical drones in 2025. Additionally, the Russians plan to manufacture around 30,000 long-range drones and 30,000 false target drones for use against Ukrainian air defenses.
**Fiber-Optic Drones Pose New Challenges**
Ukrainian forces are facing new challenges with Russia’s increasing use of fiber-optic drones. These drones are immune to electronic warfare and much harder to detect. As a result, Ukrainian forces must rely on alternative methods such as acoustic tracking to locate these drones.
Moreover, Russia is also ramping up its production of electronic warfare systems, making it even more difficult for Ukraine to operate effectively. The constant changes in radio frequencies have meant that only about 20% of the drones supplied by Ukraine are usable, requiring frequent adjustments and extra time and money.
**The Implications**
The implications of this partnership between Russia and China are far-reaching. Moscow’s increased drone production has given it an advantage on the battlefield, while also posing new challenges for Ukrainian forces.
As Andrii, a Ukrainian army commander, noted, “We have to use different acoustic and other means to trace those drones.” The situation is complex, with both sides adapting to each other’s moves in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse.
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