NYT: Ukraine’s military lacks cheap drones due to Chinese export restrictions
The Ukrainian military lacks cheap drones due to China’s restrictions on the supply of components.
This was reported by The New York Times.
Low-cost consumer drones used at the front are most often produced in China. However, since September 1, Beijing has restricted the export of components for UAVs, the publication notes.
Chinese manufacturers, who are ready to sell their goods even under such conditions, often require buyers to use a complex network of intermediaries, journalists say. In some cases, Ukrainians have had to resort to smuggling, the NYT adds.
Ukraine loses 10,000 drones every month, according to the Royal United Kingdom Institute for Defense Studies, a British think tank.
In the first half of 2023, Kyiv received drones directly from China for a total of more than $200,000, according to trade data analyzed by journalists.
Direct deliveries of Chinese drones to Russia over the same period reached $14.5 million, the report said.
As a reminder, the Turkish defense company Baykar is investing $100 million in Ukraine. The plan is to open a UAV manufacturing plant in 1.5 years.
