US sanctions Chinese firms for manufacturing Russian drones against Ukraine

The United States on Thursday announced new sanctions targeting Chinese and Russian entities involved in the construction, design, and delivery of attack drones that are being used in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The sanctions targeted two Chinese companies: Redlepus Vector Industry Shenzhen Co Ltd (Redlepus) and Xiamen Limbach Aircraft Engine Co Ltd., as well as TSK Vektor and TSK Vektor's General Director, Artem Mikhailovich Yamshchikov, Voice of America (VOA) News reported.

A senior administration official said on Thursday that the entities were involved in the development of the Russian Garpiya series of long-range attack drones, manufacturing them in China, and sending them directly to Russia.

The US State Department official stated, "The Garpiya, designed and produced in the People's Republic of China (PRC) in collaboration with Russian defense firms, has been used to destroy critical infrastructure and has resulted in mass casualties."

"Today's action is part of our continued effort to disrupt attempts by PRC-based and Russia-based entities and individuals to support Russia's acquisition of advanced weapons technology and components. We will continue to impose costs on those who provide support to Russia's military-industrial base," he added.

The senior administration official stated that the US has previously warned Beijing about the network, countering Chinese claims that they are unaware of its existence.

"They are involved in producing and shipping items that are unmistakably part of Russia's war against Ukraine and are going directly to an actor that the West has already identified and sanctioned as being part of the Russian military-industrial base," the official said.

Since 2022, the US has imposed sanctions on nearly 100 entities located in China and Hong Kong. Most of these are involved in the supply chain for dual-use items--components or goods that Russia can convert into military equipment used against Ukraine, VOA News reported.

However, Thursday's sanctions were the first to target Chinese entities "directly involved in developing and producing complete weapons systems in collaboration with Russian firms."

Meanwhile, the UK on Thursday announced its largest sanctions package against Russia's "shadow fleet of oil tankers," ships that reportedly operate in violation of Western sanctions.

The UK stated that 18 additional shadow fleet vessels will be banned from UK ports, raising the total number of sanctioned oil tankers to 43.

VOA reported citing an analysis of Chinese customs data by the Carnegie Endowment think tank, that Beijing exports over USD 300 million worth of so-called dual-use items--goods with both commercial and military uses--to Russia each month.