US sanctions Chinese drone companies

2024-10-17 19:04:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The United States has imposed sanctions on two Chinese companies and a Russian company for their involvement in the production and delivery of drones that Russia uses in its war against Ukraine.

The two Chinese companies that were sanctioned by the US Treasury Department are Xiamen Limbach Aircraft Engine Company and Redlepus Vector Industry Shenzhen.

Xiamen Limbach Aircraft Engine Company makes the engine for Russia's long-range Garpiya drones, the US Treasury said. Redlepus Vector Industry Shenzhen is involved in the delivery of attack drones, the Treasury statement said.

A Russian national and a Russian company linked to the two Chinese companies are also part of the sanctions announced on October 17. The sanctioned person has been identified as Artem Yamshchikov, the general director and owner of TSK Vektor, which serves as an intermediary company for another Russian company and China-based suppliers that were previously sanctioned over Russia's Garpiya drone project.

The US Treasury Department said the new sanctions are the first sanctions the US has imposed against Chinese entities for producing weapons systems in cooperation with Russian companies. Previous sanctions had targeted Chinese entities that provided critical components to Russia's military industry.

"Russia is increasingly dependent on the expertise of foreign professionals and the import of sophisticated technologies to maintain its weapons program and advance its military campaign against Ukraine," said the acting undersecretary of the Treasury. for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Bradley T. Smith.

The Garpiya drone is used by Russia in the war against Ukraine, and this type of drone has destroyed critical infrastructure and caused numerous casualties, the Treasury said.

The drone was designed and developed by experts in China and manufactured in factories in China, in cooperation with Russian defense companies, before being transferred to Russia for use against Ukraine, according to the US Treasury Department.

Sanctions also include the freezing of assets that individuals and companies have in US jurisdiction./REL