In 2023, Russia began production of a new long-range attack drone called the Garpiya-A1, which uses Chinese engines and parts. Reuters reported on this, citing two European intelligence sources and documents in their possession.
According to intelligence, Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant Kupol, a subsidiary of the Russian state-owned arms manufacturer Almaz-Antey, produced more than 2,500 Garpiya drones from July 2023 to July 2024.
This is the first report about the existence of a new Russian drone using Chinese technology. Kupol and Almaz-Antey did not respond to requests for comment.
“Both intelligence sources said that the Garpiya drone has been used against military and civilian targets in Ukraine, causing damage to critical infrastructure and casualties among both civilians and military.”
The sources provided Reuters with what they said were images from Ukraine of the Garpiya wreckage, but they did not provide further details. Reuters has found information that supports this conclusion, but has been unable to confirm the images independently.
The agency quotes Samuel Bendett, an associate senior fellow at the Centre for a New American Security, who believes that the appearance of such drones would mean that Russia is moving away from dependence on Iranian long-range drones (Shaheds).
The Russian Defence Ministry did not respond to a request for comment for this story. China’s Foreign Ministry told Reuters that Beijing strictly controls the export of goods with potential military applications, including drones.
