China is reportedly sending body armor and drones to Russia for use in Ukraine.

 

Chinese body armor. Politico. 

China is reportedly sending large numbers of body armor, drones and other "duel use" technology to Russia for use in the Ukraine War. Politico. Documents secured by Politico show large orders of body armor being sent to Russia, with multiple orders of 100,000 vests and helmets, along with large orders of ceramics that can be used in plate carriers. Other orders include drones, which can be used for surveillance or even dropping grenades and thermal optics. Duel use technology is defined as tech that can be used for both peaceful and military purposes and it is a way how China evades Western sanctions for sending military technology to Russia. China has also sent much of the same duel use technology to Ukraine but they are now sending less to Ukraine then they do to Russia. Some of the companies that are being used to send duel use technology may be shell companies set up by Russia. 

My Comment:

Very interesting. China is supporting Russia in the war in Ukraine, but doing it in a way with plausible deniability. They aren't giving them weapons, so far, but they are giving them some extremely useful technology including armor, drones and thermal optics. 

This also explains why Russian troops are now a lot better equipped then they were at the start of the war. I have heard that their body armor is a lot better now. If the Chinese are sending these huge orders of vests and helmets that would explain it. 

The drones and thermal optics are very useful to. Drone warfare has been huge in Ukraine and these drones sent by China would be very useful. And it's not hard to convert drones into being used in combat. ISIS showed how you could convert a commercially available drone into either a suicide drones or something that can drop grenades and bombs. And the advantages of thermal optics is pretty obvious. 

My main question is what is the quality of this stuff? Chinese manufacturing has a reputation of making chintzy crap. The idea of wearing body armor made in China is more than a little concerning to me. If the reports of the body armor being decent is true then this is a moot point but still, it would be something to worry about if I was a Russian soldier. 

To be fair to China, they have been selling to Ukraine as well. They have pulled back on doing so but I think that has more to do with Ukraine running out of money rather than any major shift in support for Russia. Ukraine probably doesn't have the cash to buy these dual use items from China and I doubt China would accept their credit if they think they are going to lose the war.