Thousands of UAVs per month: Chinese drone manufacturers help the Russian Federation bypass sanctions - Bloomberg
The documents analyzed by the journalists of the Bloomberg Documents show that technologies can get to the Russian Federation with the China, despite the fact that the government of Chinese leader SI Jinping deny the supply of weapons to any of the parties of the Russian-Ukrainian War.
According to investigators, the Russian "Aero-Hit" has since the beginning of 2023 with the engineers of Chinese Autel on the localization of Autel Evo Max 4T drone production-it was originally designed for civilian use and subsequently proved its efficiency in battles. Aerodrome in Khabarovsk will be able to produce up to 10,000 drones a month and plans to expand the production of more sophisticated models this year.
Among the products of the company is FPV-Dron "Veles", which the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is used to attack Ukrainian cities, writes journalists. According to them, the cost of FPV-oules can reach several thousand dollars depending on the configuration. According to the order published in March, 100 Veles models were estimated at 8 million rubles - about $ 1,000 for one drone.
In June 2024, the US Ministry of Finance imposed sanctions against Aero-Hit, as Veles drones were used by Russian troops against Ukrainian purposes in Kherson region. One of the largest Chinese drones and their components of Autel Robotics as of February 2022 denied any ties with Russian companies. However, the letter received by journalists states that Autel has been working with Air-Hit since the beginning of 2023.
After a short break through sanctions, the contacts were restored at the end of 2024, and the parties are currently negotiating to localize Chinese UAVs in Russia since May 2025. According to the investigators, the proposal states that the drone Autel Evo Max 4T has a radio module resistant to radio -electronic fight, and its price will be 650,000 rubles per piece, including VAT. The company plans to produce about 30,000 drones a year.
Aero-Hit, in turn, states that the localization of the model will help to strengthen the production of high-tech drones in the Russian Federation and to master know-how, including firmware, adjustment, production and repair. According to journalists, Air Air-Hit went to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for financial support to localize EVO Max 4T.
At the same time, the Russian manufacturer uses false companies in the sphere of agriculture, transportation of seafood or aviation to mask the supply of Chinese technologies to the military of the Russian Federation. Autel Robotics states in its electronic statement that she has never cooperated with the Russian Air-Hit company, does not know about any production agreements related to the drone Autel Evo Max 4T. The company also denies links with the Chinese military.
Journalists say that Beijing has repeatedly emphasized that he had never supplied lethal weapons to any of the parties to the Russian-Ukrainian War and controls the export of dual use such as drones, but it is not clear from the documents about the cooperation of Chinese companies with Russian companies. On April 17, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky reported with reference to special services and intelligence that China was supplying weapons to the Russian Federation.
Before that, China Lyn Jian Foreign Ministry spokesman emphasized that his country is neutrality in the Russian-Ukrainian war, and the Chinese government asks citizens "to stay as far away from zones of armed conflict and avoid any form of participation in them. " After the night shelling of Kiev, on July 4, the wreckage of Russian "Shahamed" found details from China, which were put to Russian enterprises recently. Focus found out why Beijing helps Moscow fight in Ukraine.