China Backing Russian War Effort - ODNI Report

China is providing crucial support for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine by helping the Kremlin evade Western sanctions and is likely supplying Moscow with key technology, according to a new US intelligence report.

China has dramatically expanded its purchase of Russian oil, gas and other energy exports since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February last year and used its financial system to allow Russia “to conduct transactions unfettered of Western interdiction,” said the assessment by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

China is an increasingly critical economic partner for Russia and is “pursuing a variety of economic support mechanisms for Russia that mitigate both the impact of Western sanctions and export controls,” according to the ODNI report, which was mandated by Congress. Beijing “has also become an increasingly important buttress for Russia and its war effort, probably supplying Moscow with key technology in dual use equipment used in Ukraine,” the report said.

Chinese state-owned defense companies have shipped navigation equipment, parts for fighter jets and other dual-use technology to Russian defense firms, the report said. As of March, China had shipped more than $12 million in drones and drone parts to Russia, the report said, citing a third-party data provider and analysis of official Russian customs data.

The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence released the unclassified assessment by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) on the support provided by the People’s Republic of China to Russia in their war against Ukraine.

“The United States’ Intelligence Community has played a pivotal role in anticipating the perils, seen and unseen, that Ukraine faces as Russian forces continue their violent assault,” said Ranking Member Jim Himes. Russia’s war against Ukraine has been enabled in no small part by China’s willingness to support them, in direct and indirect ways. I hope this report makes clear to Beijing that the United States, and the world, will know if they take further actions to enable Putin’s brutal invasion.”

You can view the full report here.