According to the Russian press, Beijing has indeed suspended deliveries of these devices to Moscow if they are likely to be used for military purposes.
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![Representatives of diplomatic missions in Ukraine examine a downed Russian drone in kyiv. (SERGEI SUPINSKY / AFP)](https://www.francetvinfo.fr/pictures/dzVQX2-22AbJXnLZn6QakuSpzSE/432x243/2023/05/05/6454bebff1904_000-333x8yp.jpg)
Will the air battle change direction? Having become essential in the war between Russia and Ukraine, drones are at the heart of the arsenal of both armies. These devices, as formidable as they are easy to handle, are used for reconnaissance, dropping explosives, or even as kamikaze devices… Hence the desire of both camps to have more and more of them, and to more and more efficient available.
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If Russia was able to count on help from Iran for the production of large kamikaze drones, it seems that it can no longer count on China for lighter drones. Although Russian and Chinese leaders may claim that their cooperation is limitless, Beijing nevertheless seems very cautious when its main client, the United States, sends it a warning like this summer. Washington then accused Beijing of allowing drones officially for civilian, agricultural or industrial use to pass through to Russia, but which could easily be diverted to military uses.
Spare parts not found
This summer, China therefore announced restrictions on the export of drones and their components. The Chinese government has not officially named any country concerned, but according to the Russian daily Kommersant, the effects of these restrictions are already being felt on the Russian side. Several drone dealers say they have exhausted their stocks and some Russian manufacturers and manufacturers are reportedly short of components, which cannot be found in Russia. And even third countries like Kazakhstan through which Chinese drones transited now refuse to send them to Russia…
Drones have become such an issue in Russia that several shopping centers, deserted by Western brands, have been transformed into drone factories in recent months.