The Blubber

Customs records obtained by POLITICO reveal that Russian buyers have placed orders for hundreds of thousands of bulletproof vests and helmets manufactured by Shanghai H Win. The items listed in the documents match those found in the company's online catalog.

This evidence indicates that China, despite publicly advocating for peace, is toeing the line by supplying Russia with substantial quantities of nonlethal, yet militarily significant equipment. This move could have a tangible impact on President Vladimir Putin's 17-month-long war on Ukraine. The protective gear acquired by Russia would be sufficient to outfit many of the mobilized soldiers since the invasion. Additionally, China has supplied drones capable of directing artillery fire or dropping grenades, as well as thermal optical sights to target enemies during nighttime operations.

These shipments expose a sizable loophole in the West's efforts to constrain Putin's war machine. The sale of so-called "dual-use" technology, which serves both civilian and military purposes, provides enough deniability for Western authorities to avoid confronting a powerful economic entity like Beijing.

The extent of China's wartime exports of dual-use products to Russia is supported by customs data. While Ukraine is also a customer of Chinese products, its imports of most of the equipment covered in this story have significantly declined.

Notably, Russia's imports of drones from China have exceeded $100 million this year, an astonishing 30 times more than Ukraine's imports. Similarly, Chinese exports of ceramics, a crucial component used in body armor, have risen by 69% to Russia, surpassing $225 million, while simultaneously decreasing by 61% to Ukraine, totaling a mere $5 million.

Helena Legarda, a lead analyst specializing in Chinese defense and foreign policy at the Mercator Institute for China Studies, a think tank based in Berlin, asserts that the evidence clearly indicates China's support for Russia in this war, contrary to its claims of being a neutral actor.