Russian companies involved in the production of UAVs import the vast majority of components for drone assembly from China. Currently, the level of dependence on foreign raw materials and parts, in particular Chinese ones, reaches 90%.
Russian companies involved in the production of UAVs import the vast majority of components for drone assembly from China. Currently, the level of dependence on foreign raw materials and parts, in particular Chinese ones, reaches 90%.
This became known after the operation of Ukrainian prankster Yevgeny Volnov, known under the pseudonym «Major Chornobaev». He managed to connect to a closed video conference of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, in which the top management of the companies «Albatross», Geoscan and «Ufymets» participated.
During the discussion of localization issues, representatives of the Russian military-industrial complex and government officials confirmed the inability of the Russian industry to independently produce key elements. They admitted that even with a full battery assembly cycle, only foreign raw materials are used, since there are no analogues on the domestic market.
«While you were sitting there chewing snot, trying to pass off Chinese equipment as „Russian products“ (ST-1) and slashing the budget, we listened to your every word,» Volnov noted.
The meeting participants also noted difficulties with import substitution of basic materials. According to them, even copper wires are mainly supplied from China. In addition to products from the PRC, Russian drones continue to contain components from the USA, Japan and European countries, despite sanctions restrictions.
«Personal congratulations are already flying to all participants [of the online meeting]. Serdyuk, Plotnikov, Abdulov and your whole company — each of you is on our account. Are you hiding data in the GIS? Are you hoping for protection? In vain. We are already deep in your kitchen,» the prankster added.
Previously, in the Russian drone «Prince Oleg the Prophetic», GUR specialists discovered dozens of foreign components, in particular from the USA and Switzerland, and the drone itself turned out to be equipped not only with Chinese optics, but also with a CRP antenna for operation in conditions of countering electronic warfare.
