China secretly sent Russia materials for drone production, media report

China’s state-owned Jilin Chemical Fiber Group sent 46 tonnes of chemicals needed for drone production to Russia while presenting the shipment as civilian cargo, according to the Daily Telegraph and Politico.

The recipient identified in the documents was Alabuga-Volokno, a Rosatom subsidiary in Tatarstan’s Alabuga special economic zone. Shahed-type drones have been produced there since 2023. The shipment used a customs code for synthetic fibers intended for civilian use.

The material was polyacrylonitrile, a polymer needed to produce carbon fiber. David Albright, head of the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, said carbon fiber strengthens drone wings and internal structures. He estimated that the shipment was enough for at least 1,300 drones.

Chinese components had previously been found in Russian drones used in attacks on Ukraine. Politico said the newly obtained documents provide the first confirmation of a direct Chinese shipment of such materials. The Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation obtained the records, while Ukrainian authorities and a special U.S. House committee on China confirmed their authenticity, Politico sources said. The documents were also sent to the British government for examination.