According to Reuters, the UK had previously only evidence of supplies of non-lethal materials and dual-use products.
Speaking at a conference in London, Shapps, according to Reuters, said British and U.S. intelligence had evidence that “supplies of lethal weapons are now being made from China to Russia (for further use in Ukraine), or will soon begin to be made.”
“They are increasingly working together. I can reveal today that we have evidence that Russia and China are working together on combat equipment for use in Ukraine. As we saw from Putin's state visit to Beijing and the 64 percent increase in trade between Russia and China since the start of the full-scale invasion. They have each other's backs,” the British defense minister said at the London Defense Conference.
He did not specify what type of weapons he was referring to. Earlier it was repeatedly reported that China has become Russia's main supplier of goods necessary for the production of various weapons, including missiles.
Cooperation between the two nuclear powers “should worry us,” the minister emphasized.
In February 2023, Blinken, Ursula von der Leyen and other leaders warned that China was “getting closer to the line” of directly supplying military aid to Russia. At that time, public statements (and non-public actions) helped delay that decision for at least a year, although China did not stop helping the Russian military-industrial complex with machine tools, spare parts, and sanctions circumvention.
