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Russia Smuggles Chinese Drone Engines as Refrigeration Units
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![Photo of Maryna Kulakova]( "Photo of Maryna Kulakova")
Russia is receiving Chinese engines for strike drones disguised as "industrial refrigeration units," according to Reuters, citing three European intelligence officials and several documents on July 23.
The supplies are reportedly being delivered through front companies and are intended for the Russian defense company "Kupol," which manufactures the "Garpiya-A1" drones.
According to Ukrainian military intelligence, these long-range drones are used to target both military and civilian sites deep within Ukraine. The Ukrainian side estimates that Russia is using around 500 of these drones every month.
According to accompanying documents, including contracts, invoices, and customs paperwork, the products are shipped from Beijing to Moscow and then sent to Izhevsk, where Kupol’s production facilities are located. Three European intelligence officials confirmed that disguising the engines as refrigeration equipment helped avoid scrutiny from Chinese export controls.
Transport documents reviewed by Reuters show that since October 2024, Sichuan Airlines and China Southern Airlines, China’s largest carrier, have regularly transported these components to Russian companies under sanctions.
An internal document from Kupol, also obtained by Reuters, reveals that the company signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense to produce more than 6,000 Garpiya-A1 drones in 2025. By comparison, around 2,000 were produced in 2024. The same document indicates that by April 2025, over 1,500 units had already been delivered.
In September, Reuters reported that Kupol was producing the Garpia drones using Chinese technology, including L550E engines from Xiamen Limbach Aviation Engine Co. A month later, the European Union and the US imposed sanctions on several companies involved in drone production, including Xiamen.
Following the sanctions, a new Chinese firm, Beijing Xichao International Technology and Trade, began supplying Kupol with L550E engines, according to invoices, an internal Kupol letter, and transport documents reviewed by Reuters.
This marks the first time Reuters has reported on the surge in Garpia production and the new intermediaries involved in supplying drone parts. The news agency was unable to determine how Xichao sourced the engines from Xiamen Limbach, as the latter did not respond to a comment request and Xichao could not be reached for comment.
Previously, The United States has issued a strong warning to China over its ongoing support for Russia’s military and economic activities amid the war in Ukraine.
According to US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker, any continued assistance to Moscow could trigger secondary tariffs under President Donald Trump’s administration.
