China sold the Wagner PVC two satellites: how they were used in the war in Ukraine - the media
According to English and Russian contract signed on November 15, 2022, Beijing Yunze Technology Co Ltd sold two high-resolution surveillance satellites that belonged At that time she was part of the commercial empire of Yevgeny Prigogin - one of the founders of Wagner PEC.
The contract also provides for satellite images on request, which enabled mercenaries to receive pictures of both Ukraine and areas of Africa, where a private military company operated, including Libya, Sudan, Central African Republic and Mali, reported to reporters a source in European security services. .
In addition, at the end of May 2023, the Wagner PEC demanded pictures of the Russian territory throughout the route between the Ukrainian border and Moscow, which was captured by mercenaries, led by Yevgeny Prigogin in late June, during a short -term rebellion. According to the European source in the field of security, these pictures were concerned: in addition, the media managed to get information that what satellites received mercenaries.
It is a satellite JL-1 GF03D 12 and JL-1 GF03D 13, which are in orbit 535 km high. As part of this contract, Wagner has also received the right to participate in tenders for other satellite images from the CGST Chinese Operator network, which today has about 100 satellites. The French news agency of AGENCE France-Presse managed to identify the person's contract on the Russian side. He was 40-year-old Ivan Mechetin, a CEO of Nika-Fruit, previously led by Eugene Prigogin.
According to the project of All Eyes on Wagner, during his career, the Mesetin also worked in the Russian Army unit, which was engaged in the financial support of hostilities and, in particular, supplied weapons and ammunition to Russian military intelligence during the invasion of Crimea in 2014.
The researcher of the aerospace industry from Cornel University Gregory Falko believes that the use of mercenaries of Chinese technology by mercenaries testifies to the limited opportunities of Russia in this sector, despite its historical reputation of the Great Space State, which reaches the USSR. "Russia does not have such opportunities. Their satellite program has not been successful lately. They cannot do it.
South China Morning Post notes that the supply of Chinese satellite data to Washner's "Washington" knew in the winter of 2023. In confirmation of the media, the fact that on February 24, the US Ministry of Commerce on the basis of the decision of the Interagency Commission announced the introduction of Beijing Yunze Co. Technology to its sanction list, as well as broker of satellite photos of Head Aerospace Technology.
On April 12, the US State Department imposed sanctions against 80 legal entities and individuals, which, in his opinion, continue to promote Russian aggression, including Head Aeraspace Technology. It was called the satellite images in the State Department, which provided information to organizations related to Wagner PEC and Yevgeny Prigogin.
But whether the Chinese leadership was aware of the interest of the Wagner PEC this spring to the satellite images of the territory of Russia on the eve of the rebellion remains unclear. The JL-1 GF03D 12 and JL-1 GF03D 13 satellites belong to the Dailyvision (JL-1GF03D) group. They are used to monitor emergencies and provide intelligence. With their help you can create and update topographic and special maps to a scale of 1:25 000 inclusive.
Also, using satellites, you can monitor the environment and industrial facilities. JL1-GF03 series micro-satellites are developed by principles: higher resolution, lower weight, lower cost. This makes the reality of creating a large -scale group, since the higher resolution can meet the needs of the global client base, less weight allows 9 satellites with one missile and reduces the cost of buying more missiles, and lower cost allows the company to afford the cost of a larger satellite. .
Successful launch of nine JL-1 GF03 satellites is part of a group of 54 subm satellites that allow you to receive images anywhere every 10 minutes with a duration of observations from 10 to 16 hours. We will remind, at the end of February it became known that the Chinese company Spacety, which is on the Black List of the United States and specializes in aerial photographs, transferred satellite images to the mercenaries from the Wagner PEC.