The Security Service of Ukraine has found Chinese-made components in the debris of Iranian Shahed drones used by Russia to strike Kyiv.
Although China publicly maintains a neutral stance on the Russo-Ukrainian war, it has sustained close economic ties with Russia and, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, has been supplying components for Russian ammunition and drone production. By early 2025, 80% of the electronics in Russian drones were reportedly sourced from China. Beijing has dismissed these claims as baseless accusations.
According to an official statement, the Russian-modified Shaheds contained launch parts marked with the name of Suzhou Ecod Precision Manufacturing Co., Ltd. These drones were used in an overnight attack on Kyiv on 4 July.
“These components, specifically catapult launch mounts, were recovered from the drones that Russian forces used to attack the capital,” the SBU stated, releasing photographic evidence.
A criminal case has been opened, with the strike on Kyiv classified as a war crime.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has pointed to the symbolic irony: “We found a component of the Shahed-136/Geran-2 in Kyiv, manufactured in China and delivered quite recently, while just the day before, the Russian strike damaged the building of China’s Consulate General in Odesa.”
To the minister, this illustrates how Putin has drawn third countries into his war.
“North Korean troops, Iranian weapons, Chinese manufacturers — this is what Ukraine is fighting against," said Sybiha.
The Ukrainian foreign minister has emphasized that global security is interconnected: “Security in Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific region is inseparable. This is not a competition for attention.”
He has called on the US and the international community to increase pressure not only on the Kremlin but also on all those supporting its war.
