Chinese engines, described in documents as "cooling units", are being secretly supplied to a Russian state-owned drone manufacturer despite Western sanctions, three European security officials and related documents revealed, Reuters reports.
The L550E engines, manufactured by China's Xiamen Limbach Aviation Engine, are reaching the Russian company IEMZ "Kupol" through a new intermediary — Beijing Xichao International Technology and Trade. They are intended for the Garpiya-A1 combat drone, used in attacks on Ukrainian military and civilian targets. According to Ukrainian military intelligence, Russia uses about 500 of these drones per month.
After sanctions were imposed by the EU and the US in October, deliveries continued through shell companies. The engines were described as "cooling units" and were shipped from Beijing to Moscow and then to Izhevsk, where Kupol" factories are located. The transportation was carried out by Chinese airlines Sichuan Airlines and China Southern Airlines, transport documents show.
"Kupol"'s internal contract with the Russian Defense Ministry provides for the production of over 6,000 Garpiya drones in 2025, with 2,000 produced in 2024. By April, over 1,500 had already been delivered. The Garpiya is a Russian analogue of the Iranian Shahed drones, but uses Chinese technology — including engines, control and navigation systems.
Documents show that the engines were forwarded by Xichao to the fictitious Russian company SMP-138, which supplied them to LIBSS — a partner of "Kupol". A contract between LIBSS and "Kupol" specified that the cargo would be described as "cooling units" due to its sensitive nature.
China said it had not been informed of the export of parts for military drones, and stressed that it strictly controls trade in dual-use goods. The Foreign Ministry in Beijing rejected the unilateral sanctions as illegitimate without a mandate from the UN Security Council.