China supplies Russia with modems for long-range "Geran" and "Gerbera" drones – The Insider
Chinese company Xingkai Tech continues to supply Russia with critical components for long-range drones used in the war against Ukraine. These are specialised mesh modems.
This is detailed in an investigation by The Insider, Censor.NET reports.
Details
According to the journalists, Chinese-made devices have already been found in downed Russian "Gerbera" drones. To determine whether the company was willing to continue working with Russia’s military-industrial complex, the investigators conducted an experiment.
Posing as a Russian supplier, the journalists contacted Xingkai Tech and placed an order for 500 mesh modems for a factory in the "Alabuga" special economic zone (in Tatarstan), where Russia assembles and upgrades attack UAVs on a large scale.
Despite the journalists explicitly stating in their request that the devices were intended for military use, the Chinese company issued an invoice without hesitation.
The outlet also notes that Chinese banks actively facilitate such deals and sanctions evasion by processing financial transactions between Russian defence customers and Chinese suppliers without impediment.
Mesh modems from Xingkai Tech are used in Russian "Geran" and "Gerbera" drones:
- They allow drones to exchange data directly with one another during flight;
- They ensure reliable communications and enable drone movements to be coordinated over long distances.
