Russia Develops New Kamikaze Drone Featuring Chinese Engine, According to European Intelligence Sources

KYIV (Reuters) – Russia has commenced production of a new long-range attack drone known as the Garpiya-A1, utilizing Chinese engines and components, according to two sources from a European intelligence agency and related documents. This drone has been deployed in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The intelligence findings, which include a production contract for the drone, company communications about its manufacturing, and financial records, reveal that IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of the Russian state-owned armaments firm Almaz-Antey, produced over 2,500 Garpiyas from July 2023 to July 2024.

Previously unreported, the existence of this new Russian drone, which incorporates Chinese technology, was highlighted by the intelligence sources. Neither IEMZ Kupol nor Almaz-Antey responded to requests for comments.

According to the sources, the Garpiya, named after the word “Harpy” in Russian, has been deployed against both military and civilian targets in Ukraine, leading to significant damage to critical infrastructure and resulting in casualties among civilians and military personnel.

The sources shared with Reuters images purportedly showing the wreckage of a Garpiya in Ukraine, though additional details were not provided. While Reuters investigated and found corroborating information, it could not independently verify the images.

Due to the sensitivity of the information, the sources requested anonymity and asked that specific details, including dates from the documents, remain confidential.

Samuel Bendett, an adjunct senior fellow at a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, suggested that confirmation of the Garpiya would signify a shift away from Russia’s dependency on Iranian drone designs for long-range capabilities. He noted that if this trend continues, it could indicate Russia’s increasing reliance on domestic development and Chinese resources, given both nations’ dependence on Chinese components for drone production.

Iran, which has not commented on these findings, has reportedly supplied Russia with over a thousand Shahed “kamikaze” drones since the start of the invasion in February 2022, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. These drones have been utilized to deplete Ukrainian air defenses and target infrastructure well behind the front lines. Iran has repeatedly denied providing drones to Russia for use in the Ukraine conflict.

The Russian defense ministry did not respond to requests for comment, while China’s foreign ministry stated that Beijing strictly regulates the export of items with potential military applications, including drones. The ministry reiterated China’s commitment to promoting peace talks regarding the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, emphasizing that there are no international restrictions on trade with Russia.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg recently urged China to halt its support for Russia’s actions in Ukraine, stating that such assistance has significantly contributed to the continuation of the conflict.

According to the European intelligence agency, the Garpiya closely resembles the Shahed drone but features several unique characteristics, including a distinctive bolt-on fin and Limbach L-550 E engines. Originally designed in Germany, this engine is now manufactured in China by a local company, Xiamen Limbach, though it did not respond to inquiries.

Reuters examined a contract exceeding 1 billion rubles related to the drone’s production, signed between the Russian defense ministry and Kupol in early 2023. The documents indicated that a former cement factory in Izhevsk, Udmurt Republic, acquired by Kupol in 2020, is being utilized for production.

By analyzing a video from a Russian drone production facility posted on a messaging app, Reuters was able to match the factory’s architecture and color scheme to previously collected imagery, validating its identification.

The first prototype of the Garpiya was reportedly launched in the first half of 2023. Production in the latter half of 2023 reached several hundred units, increasing to around 2,000 in early 2024. Bendett noted that an output of 2,500 drones yearly would significantly enhance Russia’s capabilities, as Ukrainian military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that Russia has deployed nearly 14,000 strike drones since the onset of the conflict, including Iranian Shahed and domestically produced drones.

Corporate documents from the second quarter of 2023 indicated that supplier TSK Vektor sourced parts from Chinese firms for assembly at Kupol, with plans to deliver 800 Chinese engines to the plant. TSK Vektor did not respond to inquiries.

The European intelligence service expressed concern over ongoing Chinese provision of components facilitating the Russian production of large kamikaze drones, calling for an end to these exports.

The U.S. has frequently warned China regarding its support for Russia’s defense capabilities and has implemented numerous sanctions aimed at restricting Moscow’s access to certain technologies for military use. Both the State Department and White House did not respond to requests for comment.

In July, China announced it would tighten its rules on drone exports starting September 1. Beijing condemned U.S. sanctions on Chinese entities related to the Ukraine conflict as “illegal and unilateral.”

The Garpiya has a take-off weight of under 300 kilograms and a maximum range of 1,500 kilometers, similar to Iran’s Shahed-136 drones that Russia has extensively employed in Ukraine.

Reports have indicated that Russia is working to boost domestic production of a version of the Shahed-136, referred to as the Geran-2, at a facility in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan. Ukraine claimed to have executed a drone strike against this facility in April.

Additionally, a delivery status update from TSK Vektor to Kupol detailed an order for engine components from two Shenzhen-based Chinese companies, Juhang Aviation Technology and Redlepus Vector Industries. Juhang has faced sanctions from both British and U.S. authorities for supplying drone equipment to Russia, while Redlepus did not respond to inquiries.

Customs data revealed that between April 2022 and December 2023, TSK Vektor imported $36.3 million worth of goods from Juhang and $6.2 million from Redlepus, primarily categorized for civil and general use.