US sanctions 2 Chinese companies over drones used by Russia against Ukraine
These are first sanctions against Chinese entities ‘directly developing and producing’ weapons systems with Russian firms, says US
The United States is sanctioning two Chinese companies it says are cooperating with Russian entities to design, build and ship long-range attack drones, in the latest round of punitive action against firms supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine.
A senior official in US President Joe Biden’s administration said on Thursday that the weapons – part of Russia’s Garpiya series of long-range combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) – are jointly designed with a sanctioned Russian entity, produced in China and shipped directly to Russia.
While the US has previously sanctioned Chinese firms for providing components for Russia’s military-industrial base, these are the first sanctions against Chinese entities “directly developing and producing” weapons systems with Russian firms, according to the US Treasury Department.
The first Chinese entity targeted by the Treasury Department is Xiamen Limbach Aircraft Engine, which the US says is responsible for producing an engine placed in the UAVs before they are shipped out of China.
The second company, Redlepus Vector Industry Shenzhen, was accused of working with Russian defence firm TSK Vektor to facilitate the supply of drones to Russia.
TSK Vektor was among the Russian companies sanctioned by the Treasury Department last December for assisting with procurement on behalf of major Russian anti-aircraft equipment makers in the development and production of one-way attack UAVs.
