Chinese nationals reportedly smuggling military gear out of Russia

Chinese nationals have been increasingly attempting to smuggle military equipment and dual-use goods out of Russia, often using international postal services, Russian state-controlled media Izvestia reported on April 21, citing undisclosed sources.

The incidents reportedly concern body armor, tactical gear, and other military apparel that are then studied and replicated using cheaper materials before being resold abroad.

The news comes as China becomes increasingly involved in the Russian war against Ukraine. While Beijing officially denies supplying arms to Moscow, it has become a major supplier of dual-use goods since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 17 that Chinese exports to Russia also include weapons, making the accusation only days after saying that hundreds of Chinese nationals fight against Ukraine in the Russian military. China has denied any involvement in the war.

Russian law enforcement reportedly detained a Chinese citizen in Moscow in mid-April, accusing him of mailing two tactical vests, including a Ratnik load-bearing vest and another modular design.

The gear was seized, and further investigation linked the individual to several prior shipments of similar equipment to China, according to an unnamed source cited by Izvestia.

Among the seized items were standard-issue 6B45 body armor, additional Ratnik systems, and combat backpacks – all of which are classified as military goods under Russian export law. A 2022 Russian government decree prohibits the export of such items without a license, citing national security concerns.

In December 2024, a 27-year-old Chinese student in Moscow was arrested for allegedly storing military gear, including body armor and ballistic plates, in a university dormitory. The student claimed the items were legally purchased through online classifieds.

The Russian news outlet reported that incidents of Chinese citizens attempting to smuggle Russian military-related goods have increased since 2022. In one of the first known cases, a Chinese national was convicted in the fall of that year for attempting to export sensitive sensors and sentenced to three years in a penal colony.

A source familiar with the military gear market allegedly told Izvestia that the demand for counterfeit or reverse-engineered military equipment remains high, particularly due to pricing disparities and loopholes in international shipping platforms. Some of the replicas have allegedly appeared on Ukrainian battlefields.

“Counterfeit versions of Russian tactical equipment are regularly seen on fallen Ukrainian soldiers in the combat zone,” the source said.

Ruslan Shapiev, CEO of defense contractor RUSARM, told the outlet that some of the smuggling cases might be linked to industrial espionage or foreign intelligence services.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims at the time of publication.

While Chinese President Xi Jinping claimed to be neutral in the war, China strengthened its economic and technological ties with Russia, provided key materials for defense manufacturing, and saw some of its citizens join Russia’s armed forces.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian forces captured two Chinese nationals fighting for Russia in Donetsk Oblast. One of them reportedly said he paid about $3,500 to a middleman in China in exchange for Russian citizenship and military enlistment.

Beijing has not publicly commented on the recent smuggling allegations.

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The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova