Kyiv: China is a major supplier of military components to Russia
Approximately 60 percent of foreign components for Russian armaments used in the war against Ukraine are supplied through China, according to Vladyslav Vlasiuk, an advisor to the Office of the President of Ukraine. Speaking to journalists in Brussels on Tuesday, September 24, Vlasiuk said, "If we take all conventional weapons and tally up the foreign components, about 60 percent come from China. We've had lengthy discussions with some manufacturers about this. I'd say China is the biggest problem," he stated.
Vlasiuk, who serves as Ukraine's commissioner for sanctions policy, highlighted that crucial components used in reconnaissance equipment, drones, and missiles also come from the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and other Western countries.
Despite extensive trade ties with Russia, Beijing has consistently denied supplying weapons to any party in the conflict, emphasizing that China is not involved in the Ukrainian crisis. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and, despite extensive Western sanctions, has successfully supplied its military machine with Western microchips and semiconductors.
Vlasiuk is confident that the European Union can do more to halt the flow of Western goods into Russia. One of the options he suggested is imposing sanctions against the Russian nuclear agency Rosatom. "We believe that Russia has used this agency to supply its military, but European capitals are reluctant to take action against it due to Russia's dominant position in supplying nuclear power plants," said the Ukrainian official.
Another potential target, according to Vlasiuk, could be Russian logistics - both air and seaports - as well as financial institutions that facilitate supplies to Russia. On this note, he reminded of the American package of sanctions against Russia’s IT sector, which he said has been highly effective since its implementation in September.