China is fine tuning its drone production and providing drone parts and expertise to Russia. Specifically, China is exporting fiber optic cables and lithium ion batteries. Russia is assembling them at massive plants beyond the reach of Ukrainian strike capabilities.
The sharp increase in exports of fiber-optic cables and lithium-ion batteries, among other drone components, reveals how the close partnerships between Russian and Chinese manufacturers are helping Moscow gain a pivotal advantage in the conflict, analysts say.
“It’s critical; it’s crucial,” Kateryna Bondar, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said of China’s support for Russia’s frontline advancement. “Chinese play a big role here because this is where they are happy and ready to adjust their production lines.”
Beijing claims it is neutral in the conflict and Chinese manufacturers, which account for 80 percent of the global commercial drone market, have reduced their direct exports of ready-made drones to Russia."...
"Chinese shipments of fiber-optic cables to Russia grew almost tenfold between July and August, after hitting record highs in May and then again in June, according to the data from China’s customs office. ...
In a war that has become dominated by these aerial assaults, Ukraine has been
scrambling to catch up. Russia has steadily increased its use of fiber-optic drones since they helped force Ukraine’s retreat from Russia’s western Kursk region earlier this year.
Even though the cables occasionally tangle, fiber-optic drones have a major advantage over untethered drones because they cannot be disrupted by radio signal jamming systems
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