ISW says Russia cannot maintain Shahed drone production pace without Chinese components
According to Ukrinform, this is stated in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Experts note that Russia has significantly increased its domestic production of Shahed-type drones, including the Geran, Harpy, and Gerbera drones. Russia mainly produces Shahed-type drones in the Alabuga special economic zone in the Republic of Tatarstan, and recently opened a new production line for Shahed drones at the Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant, where the country already produces Harpy drones (Shahed analogues with Chinese components).
The report states that Russia has recently made significant investments in the development of the drone factory in Alabuga, supporting the factory's infrastructure and hiring women, children, and foreigners to work at the enterprise.
“Russia increasingly relies on China for the supply of components for drones and without these components will not be able to maintain the pace and volume of production of Shahed-type drones,” ISW analysts believe.
The Institute also drew attention to a recent investigation by the Ukrainian organization Frontelligence Insight, which showed that Alabuga alone depends on China for at least 41 components for the production of its long-range strike drones, including engines, electronic and mechanical components, batteries, antennas, radio stations, coal fuel units, carburetors, and telecommunications components.
Frontelligence Insight estimates that many of the drones that Russia claims are manufactured domestically are in fact only assembled there, given the large number of Chinese-made parts used in these drones.
In addition, Russia has opened a special logistics center in Alabuga to receive and process freight trains directly from China, presumably to optimize the delivery of Chinese parts for the production of drones in the special economic zone.
As reported by Ukrinform, Russia is massively recruiting young women in South Africa for a factory producing strike drones, which has forced the government of that country to respond publicly and warn its citizens about the danger.
Photo: screenshot from video
