Chinese aircraft engines are disguised as “industrial coolers” and supplied to Russia — despite EU and US sanctions. They are installed in the Harpy-A1 combat drones, with which the Russian Federation attacks Ukraine every month.
Chinese aircraft engines are disguised as “industrial coolers” and supplied to Russia — despite EU and US sanctions. They are installed in the Harpy-A1 combat drones, with which the Russian Federation attacks Ukraine every month.
Chinese engines are secretly supplied through shell companies to a state-owned drone manufacturer in Russia under the label "industrial refrigeration units" to avoid Western sanctions.
L550E aircraft engines, Reuters writes , manufactured by China's Xiamen Limbach Aviation Engine Co., after the sanctions began to be supplied through a new outlet - Beijing Xichao International Technology and Trade. In the documents, the engines are designated as " cooling units" to circumvent China's export restrictions.
The engines are sent to a fictitious company in the Russian Federation, SMP-138, which then forwards them to LIBSS, and from there to Kupol. Sichuan Airlines and China Southern Airlines have been transporting components to sanctioned companies in the Russian Federation since October 2024.
According to Reuters, citing internal documents from the Russian plant and three European intelligence agencies, the Russian arms manufacturer Kupol plans to produce 6,000 Harpy-A1 strike drones in 2025. This is three times more than last year. By April 2025, more than 1,500 drones had been delivered to the Russian Defense Ministry. Approximately 500 drones are launched each month to strike targets in Ukraine, both civilian and military, Ukrainian military intelligence has confirmed.
The Harpy-A1 is a Russian version of the Iranian Shahed-136, adapted to use Chinese components. According to Reuters sources, it contains an engine, navigation and control systems — all of Chinese origin. It is known that the Chinese side supplies some of the components with the knowledge of state structures — or ignoring control.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it was unaware of the supply of components for the Harpy. Beijing is also “categorically opposed” to unilateral sanctions that are “not based on international law.”
