Russia alarmed as Ukraine continues importing DJI drones despite China's export restrictions
Tensions are soaring in Russia as Ukraine persistently acquires DJI drones, even though China officially opposes their use in the conflict.
Russian authorities have discovered how the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) managed to equip their troops with Chinese-made Mavic drones. Despite Beijing's official stance against the usage of domestically produced drones in the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukraine has found ways to procure these drones to bolster their UAF, reports RIA Novosti.
The Russian news agency cites that DJI Mavic drones are being funneled into Ukraine through a subsidiary based in Poland. The correspondent uncovered this by scrutinizing data from the state procurement portal Prozorro. According to the portal, a contract worth 391.5 million UAH ($9.5 million) exists between Kyiv's Department of Municipal Security and the Ukrainian subsidiary of the company. The procurement includes 1,550 DJI Mavic 3T drones and 950 DJI Mavic 3E drones.
Adding to the tension, Russian sources highlighted the efforts of a Ukrainian entrepreneur who secured 1,000 DJI Mavic 3 Pro drones for the AFU under a contract valued at 71.4 million UAH ($1.7 million).
Back in 2022, DJI ceased its operations in both Russia and Ukraine. The following year, China's Ministry of Commerce imposed strict export controls, requiring special permits for the sale of drones beyond its borders.