CHINA is flogging arms to Russia in a major boost to Putin’s war in Ukraine, Britain’s Defence Minister claimed.
Spies tracked “lethal aid” from China to Russia and into Ukraine, Grant Shapps revealed Wednesday.
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He said intel reports were a “significant development” and warned: “We should be concerned.”
Shapps said it blows open China’s claim to be a handbrake on Putin’s Ukraine slaughter.
He told the London Defence Conference: “US and British defence intelligence can reveal that lethal aid is now flying from China to Russia and into Ukraine.
“We should be concerned about that because in the earlier days of this war, China would like to present itself as a moderating influence.”
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Spies have long suspected China was arming Putin’s forces.
But Western officials said the scale of the aid was smaller than Putin needed.
Shapps warned an “axis of authoritarian states led by Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea” were increasingly working together.
And he said trade between Russia and China had surged 64 per cent since Moscow invaded Ukraine.
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He added: “Russia and China are collaborating on combat equipment for us in Ukraine.”
North Korea sold Russia artillery shells while Iran has provided its devastating Shahed one-way attack drones.
Shapps did not reveal what type of China was selling – but the suggestion it was flown into Russia, not trucked or trained, suggests it could be high value components rather than ammunition or heavy armour.
Russia has lost almost 3,000 tanks, 10,000 armoured vehicles and 450,000 soldiers either killed or injured in Ukraine, according to UK estimates.
A similar claim was made by US officials last month who said China is backing Russia’s war effort in Ukraine by providing Moscow with drone and missile technology, satellite imagery and machine tools.
The Chinese embassy responded that it is “not a producer of or party involved in the Ukraine crisis”.
Shapps’s warning comes just a few days after Putin, met his Chinese counterpart in Beijing during his two-day visit.
The two despots, who remain close allies, pledged a “new era” of partnership.
Putin & Xi’s ‘no limits’ friendship
JUST before Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, he and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping declared a ‘no limits’ friendship.
And today the two leaders signed a joint statement on deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between their two nations on their 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties,
Xi said China and Russia will continue to uphold a position of non-alliance and non-confrontation.
Thursday’s meeting was yet another affirmation of the friendly no limits relationship they signed in 2022.
Since then, Russia has become increasingly economically dependent on China as Western sanctions cut its access to much of the international trading system.
Chi’nas increased trade with Russia, totalling $240 billion last year, has helped the country mitigate some of the worst blowback from sanctions.
Moscow has diverted the bulk of its energy exports to China and relying on Chinese companies for importing high-tech components for Russian military industries to circumvent Western sanctions.
They had declared a “no limits” relationship in 2022 – days before the invasion of Ukraine.
Putin has used Xi as a lifeline, with Russia becoming increasingly economically dependent on China as Western sanctions cut its access to much of the international trading system.
They were seen sharing a warm embrace after spending an informal evening together drinking tea and eating snacks.
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Only hours earlier, Putin and Xi signed a lengthy statement which sharpened their opposition to a US-led world order.
Xi said: “The China-Russia relationship is hard-earned, and the two sides need to cherish and nurture it.”
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Source: Sun
