US warns China over possible involvement in Russian drone programme

The USA is responding to reports from Reuters that Russia is developing a secret long-range drone programme in China. "The United States is deeply concerned about these reports," said the spokesperson of the White House National Security Council.

The spokesperson noted that the White House has not observed anything so far to suggest that the Chinese government was aware of these activities. However, he emphasised that China has an obligation to ensure that companies from their country are not supplying lethal weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine.

He added that the USA is ready to take immediate action against identified Chinese companies, based on documents cited by Reuters, and to investigate which banks facilitated transactions with the sanctioned Russian entity.

Earlier on Wednesday, Reuters reported that Russia is implementing a secret programme in China to design and produce long-range assault drones for use in the war with Ukraine. According to documents obtained by Reuters, a subsidiary of the Russian state-owned arms conglomerate Almaz-Antey - IEMZ Kupol - designed and conducted a test flight of the new Garpija-3 drone model in China with the help of local specialists.

Kupol, Almaz-Antey, and the Russian defence ministry did not respond to Reuters' request for comment. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, however, stated that they are unaware of any such project and added that China has strict export control procedures for drones.