Posted on 07/23/2025 3:36:36 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
July 23 (Reuters) - Chinese-made engines are being covertly shipped via front companies to a state-owned drone manufacturer in Russia, labelled as "industrial refrigeration units" to avoid detection in the wake of Western sanctions, according to three European security officials and documents reviewed by Reuters.
The shipments have allowed Russian weapons-maker IEMZ Kupol to increase its production of the Garpiya-A1 attack drone, despite the U.S. and E.U. sanctions imposed in October designed to disrupt its supply chain, according to the sources and documents, which included contracts, invoices and customs paperwork.
An internal Kupol document, reviewed by Reuters, showed it signed a contract with the Russian defence ministry to produce more than 6,000 Garpiya this year, up from 2,000 in 2024. The document stated that more than 1,500 drones had already been delivered by April.
The long-range drone is being deployed to attack civilian and military targets deep within Ukrainian territory, with around 500 being used by Russia per month, the Ukrainian military intelligence agency said in a statement to Reuters.
The European security officials asked that neither they nor their organisation be identified due to the sensitivity of the information. They also requested some specific details in the documents be withheld, such as their dates and the cost of contracts.
In September, Reuters reported that Kupol was producing the Garpiya using Chinese technology, including L550E engines made by Xiamen Limbach Aviation Engine Co. A month after the Reuters' report, the European Union and the U.S. sanctioned several companies involved in producing the drones, including Xiamen.
In the wake of the sanctions, a new Chinese firm called Beijing Xichao International Technology and Trade has started supplying the L550E engines to Kupol, according to invoices, a Kupol internal letter and transportation documents reviewed by Reuters.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
since when are aircraft engines used in cooling systems?
To all of you free traitors who didn’t see a problem with sending our manufacturing, technology, and money to China to save a few pennies, do you see the problem with it now?
It’s a light, four-cylinder piston aircraft engine:
https://www.ec21.com/product-details/Limbach-L550e-UAV-Engine-Four—9786560.html
$10,300 each
It’s something the Russians could make themselves.
“Chinese engines, shipped as ‘cooling units’, power Russian drones used in Ukraine”
I don’t believe we’ve given China permission to ship those engines to Ukraine.
Product Description
Four cylinder, horizontally opposed, air cooled, two cycle engine, with solid state magneto ignition, mixture
lubrication. Suitable for pusher and tractor installations.
Product Feature
1,Designed for unmanned aerial vehicle (uav).
2,The ratio of power weight is higher
3,Extremely low failure rate
Product Specification / Models
Performance： 37 kW (50 HP) at 7500 rpm
Bore： 66 mm / 2.60 inch
Stroke： 40 mm / 1.57 inch
Displacement： 548 cm3/ 33.44 cub. inches
Crankcase： Aluminum casting
Crankshaft： Drop forged, seven piece
Pistons： Cam ground, casted aluminum alloy
Cylinders： Casted aluminum alloy, with nicasil
coated barrel
Ignition system： Solid state magneto ignition
Firing Order ： Two opposing cylinders simultaneously,
180 deg. offset
Carburators： 4 diaphragm all position carburators
Starter： 24V 500W
Generator ： 28V 1200W
Dry weight： approx. 16 kg
Fuel ： AVGAS 100LL or 90 RON mixed with
a suitable oil to the ratio of 1:25 or
1:50 (with synthetic oil)
Optional Equipment: Cylinders with additional heat sinks
(+ 1.2 kg)
Shielded ignition system
Exhaust stacks
Starter 12/24 V, 0.3 kW
Generator 28 V, 1200 W
Application
Fixed-wing aircraft ,airship and helicopters can be used
Other Information
Fixed-wing aircraft propellor:34*20,airship propellor:38*12
“It’s something the Russians could make themselves.”
Yes they could, if they were’t killing off all their workers in an OPTIONAL war.
Are there still any that still think that way?
The official policy of the CCP regarding the US was very clear from the very beginning of the relationship.
Deng called “lay low and bide our time”. Which means they were always planning to harm the US, they just weren’t strong enough at the time, but the goal was always to wait until they were and then strike.
What, you don’t want tractor engines?
You want small, lightweight aircraft engines?
Da!
If Russia can make tractor engines, it can make drone engines.
A 2 stroke, 50 hp engine @ 7.5K rpm and straight pipes should make an interesting sound heard a few miles away as it comes in.
China and Russia share a border, and they don’t do this business in US dollars.
I doubt they even need to bother to “fool” the West on this
You are really posting that headupass bullSchiff ?!
“headupass bullSchiff ?!”
Huh?
I don’t understand.
That's the problem. We knew this. The Chicoms had already stolen much of our technology during the Clinton years, but the free traitors still supported sending our manufacturing, technology, and money over there.
Are there still any that still think that way?
Here's the chance for any former free traitors to speak up.
However, more than talk is needed. We need to choose other alternatives even if it costs more. Our kids' futures depend on it.
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