The Dangerous Foreign Drone Industry: How Should the US Respond?

The Dangerous Foreign Drone Industry: How Should the US Respond?

Anna Thibodeau

Editor-in-Chief

Last month the United States imposed sanctions on two Chinese companies and one individual for their alleged involvement in the development, production, and supplying of long-range aerial attack drones to Russia for use in the war against Ukraine says Al Jazeera. IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of Russian state-owned arms company Almaz-Antey, has developed and flight tested a new drone model called Garpiya-3 (G3) in China with the help of local drone specialists according to a document acquired by Reuters. Kupol told the Russian defense ministry in an update that it was able to produce drones at a factory in China so the weapons could be deployed in the “special military operations” in Ukraine.

This news came as Zelensky was outlining a Ukraine victory plan in a speech to the EU parliament says BBC. Zelensky also stated that he had intelligence that “China is still actively helping Russia drag out this war.” The Chinese government, however, claims it has no knowledge of a such a project says Reuters. Beijing claims to have strict control measures on the export of drones and to handle the export of military products responsibly, reports CNN. 

These sanctions are the first accusation of direct Chinese involvement in supplying arms to Russia, but China has been supplying components and sub-components for weapons systems throughout the war reports Reuters. Samuel Bendett, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, a Washington-based think tank, says Beijing would be hesitant to open itself to the sanctions that come with helping “Moscow’s war machine.” While there is no evidence that the Chinese government know of the transaction, Washington says they still have a responsibility to make sure their companies are not supplying lethal aid to Russia.

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China calls these new sanctions a “continued effort to disrupt attempts by PRC-based and Russia-based entities and individuals to support Russia’s acquisition of advanced weapons technology and components.” If the accusations against the Chinese government were to be true it would be a significant development in Chinese relations with Russia and how the U.S. should approach sanctions relating to the war. Chinese supplied weapons could justify U.S. sanctions on China of similar intensity as those currently imposed on Russia. Although it is not likely that is the first route the U.S. would take, there would be much more extreme sanctions placed on China.

While the U.S. has responded with sanctions on the companies and individual involved, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to urge the U.S. to allow Ukraine to use U.S.-made long-range weapons in response to Russia reports Al Jazeera. In a recent attack involving long-range attack drones Russia killed 55 and injured 328 Ukrainians. Putin, however, has stated that Ukraine using U.S. or UK missiles against Russia would be tantamount to NATO directly fighting Russia says BBC.

The U.S. has also imposed sanctions on over 300 companies and individuals globally just this year for aiding Russia says Al Jazeera. According to The Associated Press, this includes TSK Vector, one of the Russian defense companies accused of developing drones in China. Washington stated that China should have knows known an already-penalized Russian company would be a “problem actor.”

According to CNN, Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said, “the U.S. makes false accusations against China’s normal trade with Russia, just as it continues to pour unprecedented military aid into Ukraine. This is (the) typical double standard, and extremely hypocritical and irresponsible.” Al Jazeera also points out that China has imposed sanctions on the U.S. for selling military equipment to Taiwan.

It is clear U.S. sanctions on Russia and China are not deterring the two countries from working together, although China still officially claims neutrality on the conflict, but further action could result in a catastrophic response from Russia. Zelensky believes that a Ukrainian win for this war requires holding the front lines while also attacking Russian soil using weapons provided by Ukraine’s allies says BBC. The U.S. must find a way to grant more support to Ukraine to win the war without incurring Russian wrath on NATO countries. 

Image courtesy of Getty Images