China’s share of direct drone parts supplies falls to 28% — Taipei Times
The share of direct deliveries of drone components from China to Ukraine decreased from nearly 90% at the beginning of 2024 to 28% in the first eight months of 2026. At the same time, Ukrainian drone manufacturers still largely depend on Chinese magnets, motors, chips, thermal sensors and battery cells, Taipei Times reports.
According to Ukrainian customs data, the reduction in direct deliveries does not necessarily mean an equally significant decrease in dependence on Chinese manufacturing. Components declared as imports from Poland and the Czech Republic may likely have been made in China and delivered through those countries.
Shift to Western components
Oleksandr Yakovenko of the defense company TAF Industries said that fully replacing Chinese components with Western equivalents could increase costs by up to 60% and lead to a comparable reduction in production volumes. According to manufacturers’ estimates, Chinese companies produce some electronics at roughly half the cost and on a much larger scale.
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Ukraine can assemble batteries but is forced to import battery cells. Producing motors requires imported magnets and copper. Replacing components for thermal imaging cameras remains particularly difficult: Ukrainian companies design such cameras but purchase sensors and lenses abroad. Andriy Tahanskyi, a representative of Odd Systems, noted that Europe produces about 600,000 thermal sensors per year, while Ukraine’s need is estimated at 4 million.
Localization of production
Three years ago, drone manufacturer Vyriy depended on China for nearly 90% of the components used in strike drones. Now, according to company founder Oleksii Babenko, 70–80% of Vyriy’s components are produced in Ukraine. Artur Savchii, an analyst at the Serpens Center for International Security, explained that locally manufactured drones and parts can be redesigned to meet frontline needs within several days, while changes in foreign supply chains can take months.
China has been tightening export controls on drones and related equipment since 2023. The restrictions have made it more difficult for Ukrainian companies to directly purchase certain civilian long-range drones, motors, cameras and infrared equipment, and have also caused delays and increased costs. The Russian Federation, an aggressor state, also depends on Chinese supplies, according to expert estimates, but does not face the risk that Beijing will favor Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that China shows greater willingness to help Russia than Ukraine.
