Ukraine Fears Over China’s Drones Move After Russian Strike Kills Many
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
KYIV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Kyiv fears that China’s move to place restrictions on exports of drones could hit supplies at a time when Ukraine steps up its counter-offensive against invading Russian troops despite deadly strikes.
The expressed concerns come after Ukraine’s president confirmed that six postal workers were killed and a further 16 injured after a Russian missile attacked a distribution center in eastern Ukraine over the weekend.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the workers were killed when the Nova Poshta sorting office in Ukraine’s north-western city of Kharkiv was hit.
Ukraine seeks to prevent further attacks by targeting Russian forces with various aircraft, including drones. “At the cost of less than $4,000 we can begin to see how a unit level; paradigm shift is driven by new technology,” wrote military technology expert Harrison Wolf in Forbes magazine.
Many are commercially made in China, and new supplies are vital because of the large numbers lost in the fighting, experts say.
However, there were indications of a reduction in the number of Chinese drones and parts available to Ukraine and Russia, although Beijing and Moscow have discussed military cooperation.
The government in Beijing – which has not condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – says commercial Chinese drones must “not be used for military purposes.”
HITTING UKRAINE HARD
China’s decision could hit especially Ukraine is losing about 10,000 drones a month and urgently needs more supplies, suggested the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi), a London-based think tank.
Commercial drones are used alongside purpose-made military designs, such as Turkish Bayraktar drones used by Ukraine and Iranian Shaheds used by Russia, according to military experts.
The latest restrictions imposed by the Chinese government came into force on September 1, with its impact being felt across Ukraine.
They apply to longer-range drones weighing more than 4 kilograms, as well as drone-related equipment such as some cameras and radio modules. Beijing days, Chinese producers of such equipment must apply for export licenses and provide “end-user certificates.”
Kyiv had successfully launched drones into Russian territory, with some even reaching Moscow, including near the Kremlin, where President Vladimir Putin has his office.
Despite the Chinese setback, Ukrainian fighters on the frontline say troops have not only crossed into Russian-occupied territory. They even held a position, apparently for the first time, on the fiercely defended east (or left) bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region, the military said.
However, the fighting comes at a price: hundreds of thousands of people, many soldiers whose lives had just begun, were killed or injured since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February last year.
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