(MENAFN- UkrinForm) FIS representative Oleh Aleksandrov said this in a comment to Ukrinform.

"Since 2023, China has been consistently expanding its support for Russia – both in circumventing sanctions and in directly supplying the Russian army's needs. Since November 2023, the FIS has observed rail shipments from China to Russia that are highly likely to be military in nature. According to our data, roughly 24,000 tonnes of such cargo have been delivered by rail from China to Russia," Aleksandrov said.

He added that military cargo, dual-use goods, and sanctioned products are also being transported by air and sea using a so-called "shadow fleet."

Aleksandrov explained that the term "shadow fleet" is usually associated with maritime shipments of sanctioned goods, primarily Russian oil and liquefied natural gas. However, there is also an aerial "shadow fleet," which includes aircraft operated by Russian airlines under sanctions.

For instance, the airline Aviacon Zitotrans uses its Il-76TD planes to deliver Chinese-made products to Russian manufacturers of Geran and Gerbera drones.

The FIS also provided a list of Chinese companies that regularly supply dual-use goods to Russia.

Read also: Ukraine expects more active role from China in peace process – MFA

In particular, Shandong Xinyilu International Trade Co., Ltd supplies carbon fiber, batteries, and navigation antennas. From April 2024 to January 2025, the company shipped industrial goods worth $6.4 million.

Jinhua Harin Power Technology Co., Ltd sold 685,609 engine parts, cylinders, and piston kits between June and August 2024 to the Russian intermediary LLC Drake (Tatarstan), a supplier of UAV components for the Alabuga Special Economic Zone.

Suzhou Ecod Precision Manufacturing Co., Ltd supplied aluminum alloys and UAV body components worth $1.4 million since August 2024.

Shenzhen Jinduobang Technology Co., Ltd delivers batteries, chips, and electronics, some explicitly marked "for SVO [Special Military Operation]."

According to Aleksandrov, most sanctioned goods – from microchips to machine tools – are reaching Russia's military-industrial complex via "grey" supply chains and networks of intermediaries.

At the same time, Beijing seeks to shield large Chinese state-owned companies and banks from potential secondary sanctions that could cut them off from U.S. and European markets. As a result, China's military and financial-economic support for Russia is developing primarily through local-level connections, Aleksandrov said.

The FIS earlier recorded cases of China providing Russia with satellite intelligence for missile strikes on Ukraine, including against facilities involving foreign investors.

According to Militarnyi, during Russia's drone and missile strike on October 5, at least three Chinese Yaogan-series SAR reconnaissance satellites passed over western Ukraine, the main target area of the attack. These satellites are capable of optical, radar, and electronic intelligence gathering.

Illustrative photo: Pixabay

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