Chinese Drones Tested in Russia
The Xi government claims it is not supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine. However, new footage has emerged allegedly showing Chinese firms testing their military drones near Moscow.
In November 2024, reports surfaced alleging that Chinese companies were supplying Russia with drones and related components for use in Ukraine. The European Union proposed sanctions against several Chinese firms accused of aiding Russian drone development. The United States also imposed sanctions on Chinese entities involved in manufacturing drone parts for Russia. There is clearly growing concerns over China’s role in supporting Russia’s military capabilities amid the ongoing conflict.
Politically, these developments have strained China’s relations with Western nations. China has so far largely denied supplying military drones to Russia, criticizing the EU’s proposed sanctions as “double standards.” German officials have warned of “consequences” if China’s support for Russia’s military is confirmed. It highlights the complex geopolitical landscape, with China balancing its strategic partnership with Russia against the risk of further alienating Western countries.
Searching for a Smoking Gun: Chinese Companies Supplying War Drones to Russia
During a recent visit to a trade fair in China, my colleague encountered two companies openly claiming to sell military drones to Russia. One of these companies, Hangchen, shares videos of drone tests conducted abroad. One particular video raises significant concern — it appears to have been filmed in Russia, showcasing a loitering drone allegedly tested for use in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The evidence becomes more compelling on the company’s website. Multiple drones, including those advertised as “suicide drones,” are prominently displayed. Notably, an image of the loitering drone featured on the site appears to be exclusive to this platform, suggesting that this product is uniquely associated with Hangchen and is indeed being marketed and potentially sold for such purposes.
The video that should bring the final proof for the supply of drones, and which I analyzed shows multiple indicators supporting its authenticity. The six-second recording captures a drone in flight towards its target. The interface resembles a desktop computer display and includes overlayed measurement data, similar to other drone videos our newsroom has analyzed from social media.
During the flight, dynamically updated coordinates are displayed, suggesting the use of a live system controlling the drone in real time. Translations of the on-screen elements reinforce this impression. The bottom-left corner of the screen shows the label “OSM” (On Screen Display), a feature for toggling the local display. In the background, a map with labels in Cyrillic and English provides geographic context.
Change over time: Paved Area Constructed Between September 2021 and November 2021, months before the war started against Ukraine.
The area cannot be located using Google Earth images, which raises the possibility that commercial satellite companies are either restricted from publishing them or their imaging efforts were interfered with by Russia. The exact reason remains unclear.
I was able to geolocate the scene to a 1.5 square kilometer area near a farm and motocross track. Exact coordinates (56.121799911479194, 35.02824123821889) point to a region where current Google Maps imagery is unavailable. Planet Labs satellite imagery shows a paved area visible in October 2024, which first appeared between September and November 2021.
Brief Background Window Display Before Impact
In the sixth second, just before impact at the target — a white and blue-marked cross between hay bales — a brief popup window appears in the background. This suggests synchronization between the map display and the drone’s live tracking.
Another notable feature is the presence of yellow lines, which visualize the drone’s flight path heading east. My research confirms that these lines match real-world satellite imagery, verifying the drone’s trajectory from west to east.
To further validate the video, I analyzed satellite images from Planet Labs. The paved area visible in the footage aligns with images captured in October 2024. An anonymous expert confirmed the video’s authenticity.
The video was not found online during extensive research, suggesting it may have been created directly by the Chinese manufacturer or commissioned. However, the exact origin remains unverified.
Find our investigation here: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/projekte/artikel/politik/drohnen-russland-china-ruestungsexport-e188105/
