China creates a Shahed-like attack drone for Russia

Chinese and Russian companies are developing an attack drone similar to the Iranian Shahed kamikaze drone used against Ukraine.

This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing Bloomberg, which received information from European officials familiar with the matter.

According to the agency, in 2023, companies from the Russian Federation and China held talks on cooperation to copy the Iranian Shahed drone, and this year began developing and testing a version in preparation for shipment to Russia.

At the same time, Bloomberg's sources say that Chinese drones will not be used in Ukraine yet.

Some countries believe that providing Russia with UAVs for attack purposes would cross the line of lethal assistance, which Chinese officials have been repeatedly warned against by the West, two officials said.

One person with knowledge of the matter said that the U.S. assesses that China is weighing whether to send fully built drones, but in the meantime is sending "kits that can be converted into attack drones." The U.S. still does not believe China is sending lethal aid to Russia, he said, noting that other countries may have a different interpretation.

One concern is that China could produce a drone like the Shahed much faster than Iran or Russia, officials said.

Officials have not identified the drone, but Chinese defense websites and several media outlets have reported that the country is developing a kamikaze strike drone called the Sunflower 200, which looks similar to Iran's Shahed 136 drone.

Author - Serhii Kolomiets, 03/07/2024