'Neutral' China is supplying Putin's forces with helicopters, drones, and crucial raw materials, report says

• China has been arming Russia despite claiming neutrality, The Telegraph reported.
• China is providing Russia with helicopters, drones, and crucial raw materials.
• The report raises serious questions about the effectiveness of Western sanctions.

China is helping to arm Russia with a range of military equipment, including helicopters, drones, optical sights, and key defense industry metals, The Telegraph reported.

China claims it has remained neutral and has repeatedly denied sending military equipment to Russia since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

But The Telegraph's investigation found that the country has delivered tens of thousands of shipments to Russian military equipment manufacturers.

The report suggests that the Chinese deliveries may be undermining Western efforts to bring down Russia's economy through sanctions.

Trade between the two countries is set to exceed $200 billion this year, per the report — setting a new record.

Drones, helicopters, and optical sights

Chinese aid appears to have begun even before Russia invaded Ukraine, with Chinese toy wholesaler Shantou Honghu Plastics, sending 1,000 drones to Russian firm Samson two months before the war started, The Telegraph reported, citing figures from open source research company Molfar.

With the outbreak of the war, the aid ramped up, with Chinese firms Hems999 and Tianjin Huarong Aviation dispatching helicopters to Russia.

Over 50 Russian firms have also received shipments of optical sights from Chinese companies, per the report.

Many came from a company called Yiwu Wojie Optics Instrument under the guise of "hunting" equipment, but they could easily be used for military weapons, the report notes.

Other key exports making their way into Russia are raw materials that can be used in arms manufacturing, including titanium alloys and magnesium alloys, which can also be used in aircraft production, the report adds.

"Regarding the export of military items, China adopts a prudent and responsible attitude," the country's foreign minister, Qin Gang, said in April, according to PBS. "China will not provide weapons to relevant parties of the conflict, and manage and control the exports of dual-use items in accordance with laws and regulations."

China's actions provide Putin with a vital lifeline

China has also utilized loopholes to send non-lethal but militarily useful equipment to Russia.

By sending "dual-use" equipment that could have civilian applications, China is banking on a degree of deniability and the West's likely avoidance of confrontation with a major global power.

Citing customs records, Politico reported that Russian buyers had made orders for hundreds of thousands of bulletproof vests and helmets from Chinese company Shanghai H Win, for example.

Nevertheless, Cold War historian Sergey Radchenko wrote in a New York Times op-ed that it may be unwise for Putin to rely too heavily on China, noting that history showed China had a tendency to flip on allies if it was to their advantage.

But China is currently still benefiting from the relationship, so it's unlikely to pull support anytime soon.