Kyiv believes Chinese make drones in Russia

Chinese citizens work at a drone production plant in Russia on Chinese technology. This was stated by President Volodimir Zelenski.

The Ukrainian leader made a comment at a press conference in Kiev days after accusing Beijing of supplying weapons and gunpowder to Russia, providing it directly military assistance, which China firmly denies.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine announced that it had called Chinese Ambassador Ma Shengkun and expressed « serious concern » about China’s intervention in the war.

Zelenski, suggesting that Russia may have received drone technology from China, without Beijing actually knowing, seems to soften its tone to China, which behaves as neutral about war in Ukraine.

A series of Ukrainian accusations aimed at China, the world’s second largest economy, has been particularly striking in the last days in a sensitive moment for Kiev in US diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Zelenski said earlier this month that Russia had recruited Chinese citizens through social media to fight in the armed forces and that the Beijing authorities were aware of it. He added that Kyiv was trying to judge whether the recruits were receiving instructions from Beijing.

China reaffirmed its support for peaceful efforts in Ukraine and said that countries in the war should avoid « irresponsible remarks », in an obvious blow to Zelenski’s comment that Chinese citizens are fighting for Russia.

Zelenski told reporters on Tuesday that he had instructed employees to send information to the Chinese government on official channels for his findings.

« Separately, I asked the Ukraine Security Service to transmit information from a broader nature to the Chinese country about Chinese citizens working at the drone factory, » he said.

A statement by the Foreign Ministry said that Ukraine expressed « serious concern about the facts of the participation of Chinese citizens in hostilities against Ukraine of the country of the state-aggressor country, as well as the participation of Chinese companies in the production in Russia of military goods ».

It states that Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Perebins has called on the Chinese side to take measures to suspend Russia’s support in its aggression against Ukraine, the lack of which has been repeatedly stated by Beijing. « 

China and Russia have declared a strategic partnership « without restriction » days before Russian President Vladimir Putin to send tens of thousands of soldiers to Ukraine in February 2022.