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- Alabuga-Volokno, a Rosatom subsidiary, produces carbon fibre used in Russia’s long-range kamikaze drones based on Iran’s Shahed design.
- The shipment was reportedly classified under a civilian customs code, which experts said could have concealed its dual-use military potential.
- David Albright estimated the PAN material could produce enough carbon fibre for as many as 1,300 kamikaze drones.
- Western governments reviewed the documents, while China denied the allegations and said the claims were an attempt to “smear and scapegoat China”.
A Chinese state-owned company supplied Russia with materials that could be used to manufacture hundreds of kamikaze drones, according to internal Russian shipping documents obtained by POLITICO and reviewed by Western governments.
The documents indicate that Jilin Chemical Fiber Group shipped 46 tonnes of carbon-fibre precursor chemicals earlier this year to Alabuga-Volokno, a subsidiary of Russian state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom.
Alabuga-Volokno produces high-specification carbon fibre used in Russia’s production of long-range kamikaze drones based on Iran’s Shahed design, according to research by the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre (USCC) and US sanctions expert David Albright.
The Chinese drone supplies allegedly reached a Russian company that has been under Western sanctions since 2023.
Shipment allegedly disguised as civilian material
The shipping documents reportedly classified the material under a customs code used for civilian synthetic fibres such as nylon and polyester.
Albright said the correct classification would have identified the shipment as a dual-use item with both civilian and military applications.
The documents cover two 40-foot shipping containers carrying up to 46 tonnes of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor material. PAN is a key chemical component in the production of lightweight, military-grade carbon fibre.
Kerri Bitsoff, a former US Treasury official involved in enforcing sanctions against Russian procurement networks, said the use of an alternative customs code could indicate an attempt to conceal the sensitive nature of the shipment.
Jilin Chemical Fiber Group did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
A Rosatom spokesperson rejected the allegations, saying the company and its subsidiaries operate in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Materials could support 1,300 drones
According to Albright’s estimate, the quantity of PAN shipped by Jilin could produce enough carbon fibre for as many as 1,300 kamikaze drones.
Carbon fibre is used to strengthen key parts of the drone airframe, including the wings, internal structures, fuel tank and engine.
The USCC says Alabuga-Volokno is a major supplier of structural carbon fibre to Russian strategic industries. Its calculations indicate that 89% of the company’s production could go to defence industry enterprises by 2030.
The organisation has also identified at least eight tenders involving shipments of PAN precursor materials from Jilin Chemical Fiber Group to Alabuga-Volokno between 2022 and 2026.
Western governments reviewing evidence
The Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre shared the documents with the US and UK governments.
A US government official said the US House Select Committee on China had reviewed the documents and considered them legitimate. A Ukrainian official also confirmed their authenticity.
The US Treasury Department declined to comment specifically on the alleged shipments but said it takes allegations of sanctionable conduct “extremely seriously”.
The British government has also reviewed the documents, while declining to speculate on possible future sanctions.
Alabuga-Volokno and its parent division UMATEX have been subject to sanctions imposed by the US, UK, EU, Ukraine, New Zealand and Switzerland.
Jilin Chemical Fiber Group is not currently under Western sanctions.
Beijing rejects allegations
The revelations come as US President Donald Trump prepares to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington later this month.
The evidence could increase pressure on Trump to address China’s alleged support for Russia’s military supply chains during the meeting.
Beijing has repeatedly denied supplying weapons to Russia and says it strictly controls exports of dual-use goods.
China’s embassy in Washington described claims about support for Russia’s drone programme as an attempt to “smear and scapegoat China”.
US officials and weapons experts, however, argue that the scale and nature of the shipments make it difficult to believe Chinese authorities were unaware of them.
The US has repeatedly accused China of supplying dual-use goods that support Russia’s military-industrial complex, while Beijing maintains that it has not provided lethal weapons to either side.
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