Russia unleashes Chinese decoy drones to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.

According to information published by the Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) on July 22, 2025, Russia is now deploying aerial decoy drones built entirely from Chinese-made components in its campaign against Ukraine. The systems, designed to saturate and mislead air defense networks, mark a significant escalation in the technological alignment between Moscow and Beijing, despite Beijing’s repeated assertions of neutrality in the conflict.
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Recovered Russian drone built entirely from Chinese components and used to saturate Ukrainian air defenses (Picture source: Ukrainian Intelligence).

The drone, recovered by Ukrainian forces, has the silhouette of a small delta-wing aircraft, visually reminiscent of the Iranian Shahed-136 but in a reduced scale. Measuring approximately 1.8 meters in wingspan and weighing under 30 kilograms, the system is lightweight enough for rapid mass production and deployment. While designated as a decoy, it is capable of carrying a 15-kilogram fragmentation or high-explosive warhead, effectively transforming it into a low-cost loitering munition. Ukrainian technical teams noted that the airframe is made from composite fiber materials, with CNC-machined aluminum sections providing structural reinforcement. The propulsion is supplied by a small two-stroke engine paired with a Chinese-manufactured fuel-injection system, offering an estimated endurance of over two hours.

Forensic analysis revealed that every onboard component originated from Chinese suppliers, with roughly 50 percent traced to CUAV Technology, a Guangdong-based firm specializing in flight controllers, telemetry links, and open-source unmanned systems. The drone’s avionics suite included a CUAV X7 Pro autopilot, a CUAV C-RTK 2 GNSS receiver, and Chinese-manufactured optical sensors. Power was managed through lithium-polymer battery packs supplied by Shenzhen-based Sunpadow, commonly used in commercial UAV racing. The communication link employed a dual-band spread-spectrum transmitter, making jamming more difficult, while flight logs showed a reliance on both Beidou and GLONASS navigation signals, minimizing dependency on GPS.

This discovery reinforces mounting evidence of a systematic replacement of Western technology in Russian drone production with Chinese alternatives in electronics, optics, and communications. Just last month, Ukrainian intelligence reported that a V2U loitering munition recovered in the Sumy region contained a Chinese-produced Leetop A203 motherboard paired with an NVIDIA Jetson Orin processor. This combination allowed real-time AI-driven decision-making, including adaptive flight path planning, terrain-following algorithms, and target recognition. Such integration of AI chips with lightweight autopilot systems significantly enhances Russian drones’ survivability against air defenses and their ability to strike time-sensitive targets.

Even more concerning is the integration of fiber-optic guidance systems supplied by Chinese manufacturers. Unlike radio-based links, which can be jammed or intercepted, spooled fiber-optic cables provide secure, interference-proof connections over distances exceeding 50 kilometers. Recovered Russian drones fitted with these systems included 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer cable spools with automated reel mechanisms, enabling controlled strikes in heavily contested electromagnetic environments. The industrial consistency of these components strongly suggests organized supply chains rather than ad-hoc procurement.

While Chinese officials continue to stress neutrality in public, operational evidence points to a different reality. Citing European diplomatic sources, CNN reported that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his EU counterpart in July that a Russian defeat would be “unacceptable.” For Beijing, a Russian victory would serve multiple strategic purposes: it would weaken U.S. influence in Europe, prevent NATO from consolidating further on China’s western flank, and secure a long-term military partner for counterbalancing American power in Asia. Additionally, Russian battlefield experience provides China with invaluable data on the effectiveness of its electronics, guidance systems, and unmanned technologies under modern combat conditions, effectively making Ukraine a testing ground for the next generation of Chinese military exports.

The deployment of fully Chinese-built drones in Ukraine reveals more than just a logistical adaptation. It signals the formation of a new Sino-Russian defense technology ecosystem combining Chinese innovation with Russian battlefield integration. If the trend accelerates, Ukrainian forces may soon face a new generation of increasingly autonomous, electronic warfare-resistant drones that will reshape the dynamics of the air war.