**Russia’s Sanctions Bypassed by Chinese Components**
Russia’s ability to continue producing weapons despite Western sanctions has been growing, thanks in part to a flow of components and materials from China. This was revealed by Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the Ukrainian president’s commissioner for sanctions, on July 7.
Vlasiuk’s statement comes as Russia escalates its attacks on Ukraine with drones and missiles. The U.S. has been hesitant to impose tougher sanctions against Moscow, and foreign-made components are still being found in Russian weapons used in these attacks. Ukraine has previously documented that Chinese companies have contributed electronics and materials used in the production of these drones.
Just days earlier, after a large-scale Russian attack on July 4, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha shared a photo on social media of a component from a Shahed-136/Geran-2 combat drone discovered in Kyiv. According to Sybiha, the part was manufactured in China and delivered recently.
**China’s Growing Role**
“The trend of China’s role is increasing,” Vlasiuk told journalists. He said that the presence of Chinese-made components and materials in Russian weapons is on the rise, adding that Beijing is expanding its technological capabilities and can now replicate some American technologies. When asked by Kyiv about the Chinese parts found in Russian weapons, Beijing responded by claiming that such support is “non-lethal,” the president’s commissioner for sanctions said.
**China’s Wartime Partnership with Russia**
Beijing remains one of Russia’s key wartime partners, helping Moscow evade Western sanctions and emerging as the leading supplier of dual-use goods used by the Russian defense industry. In April, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that China, alongside Iran and North Korea, is supplying weapons to Russia. His remarks followed reports that Ukrainian soldiers had captured Chinese nationals fighting together with Russia’s army in Donetsk Oblast.
**Ukraine Takes Action**
Ukraine has already sanctioned several Chinese companies tied to Russia’s war effort. The South China Morning Post reported that China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi reportedly told the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas on July 3 that the country cannot afford for Russia to lose the war in Ukraine amid fears Washington would shift focus towards Beijing.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com
