Chinese component found in Iranian drone Russia used in Ukraine, investigators allege
Mike Brest
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An Iranian-produced drone used by Russia in Ukraine was found to have a Chinese component in it, according to investigators.
The discovery from investigators with Conflict Armament Research, a United Kingdom-based organization that tracks weapons supply chains, is also notable because the Chinese component had markings to indicate it was produced in January.
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The use of a component manufactured in mid-January in an unmanned aerial vehicle that was shot down on April 22 “indicates an extremely rapid turnover between component production and procurement, assembly of the UAV, and its eventual deployment in Ukraine, with all these processes taking place in a little over three months,” the investigators’ report, which was released on Monday, said.
National Security Council coordinator John Kirby told reporters on Monday he could not confirm the reports, though last week the NSC declassified additional information regarding Iran’s procurement of UAVs for Russia’s use in Ukraine.
“We are also concerned that Russia is working with Iran to produce Iranian UAVs from inside Russia. We have information that Russia is receiving materials from Iran needed to build a UAV manufacturing plant inside Russia,” he told the Washington Examiner last week. “This plant could be fully operational early next year.”
The drones are built in Tehran, where they are then taken to Amirabad, Iran, before boarding a ship to cross the Caspian Sea. The drones are then moved from Makhachkala, Russia to either Seshcha, which is near the Belarusian border, or Primorsko-Akhtarsk, which is near Crimea.
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One Iranian drone that Russia launched last fall contained parts made by more than a dozen United States and Western companies, prompting Western leaders to look for ways to prevent unsuspecting defense companies from unknowingly assisting Iran and Russia.
A national security council spokeswoman told the Washington Examiner in February they are “assessing further steps we can take in terms of export controls to restrict Iran’s access to technologies used in drones,” while a group of federal agencies announced a new advisory last week for businesses and other governments to ensure they don’t unwittingly assist Russia in targeting Ukraine.