Russia Allegedly Receiving Chinese Drone Engines Disguised as Refrigeration Units

According to a Reuters investigation citing European intelligence officials and leaked documents, Russia is covertly importing Chinese-made engines for its Garpiya-A1 strike drones by disguising them as "industrial refrigeration units." The components are reportedly shipped via front companies from Beijing to Moscow and then delivered to Izhevsk, where the Russian defense firm Kupol manufactures the drones.

Transport records indicate that since October 2024, Chinese carriers Sichuan Airlines and China Southern Airlines have routinely delivered these shipments to sanctioned Russian entities. The camouflage tactic is said to help evade Chinese export controls.

The Garpiya-A1 drones are used in long-range strikes against military and civilian targets in Ukraine, with Ukrainian intelligence estimating that Russia deploys about 500 of these drones monthly. Internal documents from Kupol reveal that over 1,500 units had already been delivered to the Russian military by April 2025, and production is set to triple in 2025 to over 6,000 units.