Budanov on whether China is supplying weapons to Russia
Head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, Kyrylo Budanov said that China has become a reliable partner for Russia in supplying electronics and materials used in weapons production. While China did not sell Moscow critically important components, including controllers and microchips, at the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, such channels were later established.
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About China and supplies to Russia / © Associated Press / © Associated Press
Head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, Kyrylo Budanov made the remarks during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He spoke about China’s role in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
«At the beginning of the war, Russia was in urgent need of various controllers, microchips and other electronic components, which China was not selling directly at the time, ” Budanov said.
However, China later learned how to organize the supply of these goods and exploit the situation to its benefit, setting up supply channels to Russia through business structures which, Budanov stressed, had «clearly found a reliable partner to ensure stable supply lines.»
He said the supplies initially focused on electronics and components for weapons production, followed by machine tools and various materials used to manufacture weapons parts. Budanov added that Russia paid «enormous amounts of money — far more than any country had ever paid for such goods before.»
He also highlighted that China exploited the situation for its own benefit.
«There was an opportunity for huge profits. Following that came the political dimension. They started, so to speak, to wield even greater influence over the Russian Federation, ” Budanov said.
He added that today «everyone can see» how China is leveraging the situation to strengthen its influence over Russia amid the war in Ukraine.