Chinese drone experts flew to Russia to conduct technical development of military drones at the Kupol plant, one of the main manufacturers of the Tor and Osa air defense systems and the Harpy strike UAVs. In addition, the plant received Chinese military drones through a sanctioned intermediary.
Chinese drone experts flew to Russia to conduct technical development of military drones at the Kupol plant, one of the main manufacturers of the Tor and Osa air defense systems and the Harpy strike UAVs. In addition, the plant received Chinese military drones through a sanctioned intermediary.
Chinese experts have visited the Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant Kupol in the Udmurt Republic at least six times since the second quarter of last year. During the same period, the plant received a batch of Chinese strike and reconnaissance drones through a Russian intermediary, Reuters reported , citing European officials and documents seen by the agency.
Documents, including bank statements and invoices, show that Kupol received more than a dozen kamikaze drones from Chinese manufacturer Sichuan AEE last year. The drones were supplied by Russian defense procurement company TSK Vektor, which is under US and EU sanctions.
A letter from TSK Vektor to Kupol, seen by Reuters, showed that in the second quarter of 2024, the purchasing company invoiced the arms manufacturer for A140 and A900 kamikaze drones (approximately more than 6 drones) manufactured by China's AEE. In addition, there was talk of future deliveries of A60, A100 and A200 drones. The latter were even tested at the Chebarkul military training ground in the Chelyabinsk region late last year.
According to the Dome document, a group of Chinese experts visited the factory to assemble the drones and train its personnel in their use. The experts then visited Chebarkul, the document adds.
AEE subsequently invoiced TSK Vektor for over 5 million yuan ($700,000) for several A200 drones with electronic warfare capabilities and other equipment, delivered in the second quarter of 2025.
In addition, there is another connection between Kupol and the Chinese drone manufacturer: in the third quarter of 2024, a flight test report approved by the Russian plant and TSK Vektor company contained an assessment of the characteristics of the HW52V drone manufactured by the Chinese company Hunan Haotianyi.
According to European security officials, the HW52V is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone that can be used for military purposes for reconnaissance, surveillance, reconnaissance, and as a strike drone.
A separate document from Kupol for the third quarter of last year describes visits to its facilities by Chinese nationals, including engineers and technical personnel, who were described as employees of TSK Vektor. The purpose of their visit was to adapt a new Chinese flight control computer and a new engine for the Harpy.
Several other letters between Vector and Kupol described more than half a dozen week-long visits by Chinese and Russian experts in 2024 and 2025. The letters noted that the groups were to work on the on-board flight control computer.
Another letter, describing a visit by Chinese experts from the same group in the third quarter of 2025, said they would also be working on a new drone known as the GA-21. European officials believe the GA-21 is a version of the Iranian Shahed-107 drone, which could be used for surveillance or as a strike drone.
