Ukrainian Intelligence Warns of China’s Expanding Role in Russian Economy and Military
Head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service reported to President on growing Russia-China cooperation.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
Oleh Ivashchenko, the Head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, informed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the increasing cooperation between Russia and China, as well as the economic and political situation in the Russian Federation.
The report highlights the growing dependence of Russian companies and state structures on Chinese investments, technologies, and political priorities. Ukrainian intelligence has recorded a de facto loss of sovereignty over parts of Russian territory in favor of China, particularly through the use of resource-rich lands and the sale of scarce resources.
Moreover, China is actively expanding cooperation with Russia, including in the military-industrial sector.
President Zelenskyy instructed the Foreign Intelligence Service to closely monitor all aspects of Moscow-Beijing cooperation that affect Ukraine’s national interests and the interests of partners in Europe and the United States.
“Global security must not suffer because Russia’s appetite for aggression remains undiminished,” Zelenskyy emphasized.
Meanwhile, Russia and China have intensified their military and strategic coordination, conducting joint missile-defense drills in early December on Russian territory and holding high-level talks on missile defense and strategic stability. These steps are part of their “no-limits” partnership, reflecting a deepening of military and technological collaboration amid rising global security tensions.
However, closer ties with China are creating economic and technological dependencies for Russia. Western sanctions have forced Moscow to pay significantly higher prices for Chinese military-industrial equipment, with a recent study finding an average price increase of 87% for Russian buyers compared to just 9% for other countries.
At the same time, Chinese manufacturers are increasingly taking over key sectors of the Russian economy, exploiting domestic weaknesses such as high borrowing costs, declining investment, and falling export revenues. In sectors like heavy trucks, Chinese brands are steadily surpassing Russian producers, illustrating the broader trend of economic dependency and market displacement.
Analysts warn that reversing this trend is virtually impossible, leaving Russia structurally vulnerable even as it strengthens military ties with Beijing.
As The Gaze reported earlier, Russia has resumed LNG deliveries to China in defiance of U.S. sanctions, marking another step in the deepening energy partnership between Moscow and Beijing.
Read more on The Gaze: China's Shadow Fleet: Why Beijing Is No Longer Hiding with Russian LNG