Ever more Chinese electronics found in destroyed Russian equipment, President's Office says

Ukraine's defense forces are discovering more and more Chinese-made electronic components in captured and destroyed Russian military equipment, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, adviser to the head of the President's Office, told Reuters on Friday.

Vlasiuk, who advises the head of the President's Office on sanctions policy, noted that in "the weapons recovered from the battlefield we continue to find different electronics". According to him, Western-made components are decreasing, but the number of Chinese-made components is growing.

Chinese-made components were found, for example, in the navigation system of Orlan drones, which previously used Swiss-made electronics. Also, Chinese parts were found in the fire control system of Russian tanks, which previously used French electronics.

According to Vlasiuk, Ukraine managed to identify some of the manufacturers or suppliers of the found electronics, and this information has already been passed on to Western allies.

Among the companies mentioned were arms manufacturer China North Industries Group (Norinco) and military equipment supplier Xinxing Guangzhou Import & Export Co. Vlasiuk did not specify which components are being supplied.

Reuters asked the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs whether Chinese companies supplied components for Russian military equipment, and received an answer that "throughout history, China has launched normal trade cooperation with all countries, including Russia, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit" and that regarding "military item exports, China has throughout adopted a prudent and responsible attitude. China's position and actions have always been this way."

Reuters also quoted a Norinco employee, who declined to be named, as saying the company "does not supply Russia with military equipment components."

The news agency recalls that this week the United States added a number of Chinese companies to the sanctions list, including a reseller of satellite images, which, according to the State Department, transferred images of the territory of Ukraine to organizations associated with the Wagner terrorist group.

Today, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said that China will not supply weapons to Ukraine or Russia.

On February 20, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention added the Chinese company Comnav Technology Ltd to the list of international sponsors of the war as the company supplied the Russian Federation with navigation and radar equipment.

On March 14, it was reported that the Chinese company Quzhou Nova was caught importing alloys produced in Debaltseve, Ukraine, currently occupied by Russia.